Eternal Treasure
by NeonHorizon
Summary: When you're eternally young and going to live a long time, you'll want to spend that time with someone, right? Jiayi lived secluded from all other immortals until approached by a certain evil genius. And then her peace was shattered forever.
1. Chapter 1

On days like this, it was best to stay indoors. As much as she hated it. She despised anything that made her feel trapped. Nevertheless, she sat in her shack in the forest and prepared medicines while quietly humming to herself. It was a song she had learned a long, long time ago on a rainy day such as this. Hearing thunder boom overhead, she cringed. The air was cold, making goose bumps rise on her pale skin. Shivering, she fetched her cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders before continuing her work.

The medicine she made would be taken to the closest village, though it was actually several miles away. She delivered it once a month, depositing a large basket of medicines and bandages at the village gate. The people there hid from her. They always did. One of them had seen her at the worst possible moment, years ago. Now they all feared her. Despite this fear, they did like the medicines she made and would leave offerings at the village gate with a note of thanks. She had a box full of such notes.

The fact that they feared her made her feel depressed. No matter how many years passed, it always made her depressed when she sensed them watching her from the safety of their homes. _As if they think I'll attack them_ , she thought with a deep frown. _I would never hurt them. I couldn't. I just want to help._ A stray lock of hair fell over her eye and she sighed in frustration. Years of living alone, of having little contact with humans, had made her start to feel anxious. She knew that insanity was a possibility in the near future. It would certainly not surprise her. When the day came that she did go insane, she had a plan to warn the villagers so they could evacuate.

Outside of her shack, a young man stopped in the rain to stare for a moment. He had been on a quest to find a particular legend. One he had learned of recently. It had taken him longer than he cared to admit to find this legend, but now he would meet them. Hope made him take a few steps toward the shack, but then he paused and felt unsure. Being turned away was a possibility. He had heard that this legend was evil; like he was. If that was true, he should be able to convince her to join him. If his expectations were true, she would be like Wuya. Bitter, but powerful. Probably annoying. He could always hope for something different though.

Stepping up to the window, he was surprised by what he saw. A young woman stood at a counter, using a pestle and mortar to grind roots and herbs into powder. She had skin that was pale like porcelain, long wavy hair the color of a stormy sky. What was most startling was that she was dressed like a normal young woman around his age. She was wearing tattered jeans, a black tank top, and black fingerless gloves. Of course, she wore a black, billowing sort of cloak over this. He had been expecting someone…more like Wuya. Or any other legend that he had met. Dressed in an old-fashioned way. This one seemed to be attempting to blend in with the rest of the world almost. When she looked his way, his eyes met a pair of sharp amber ones.

She stared for a moment, quite alarmed by the sight of the red-haired young man. His skin was as pale as hers and his eyes seemed to match his hair color when he blinked in surprise. Eyeliner was running down his cheeks from the rain and she lifted a hand to smother a laugh from escaping her. When she felt that she could calmly approach whatever this new situation was, she lowered her hand and gave him a curious look. "…are you…lost?"

Her voice was different from Wuya's as well. It was soft, sweet, but the tone held suspicion. "Uh…Xun?"

"…Jiayi Xun…" she confirmed, dusting her hands on a cloth. The young woman opened her door, frowning. "…lost, then…?"

"No! I mean, I _was_. Can I come in?"

"…I suppose…" The legend moved so he could come in and raised an eyebrow when he looked around in awe. "…so…how do you know my name?"

"I was looking for you! Uh…well that sounded weird. I mean, I want to team up!" He saw her tilt her head, puzzled by his offer. "You don't want to?"

"…pair up…for _what_ , exactly?" She returned to her task, trying to hide her blush. It had been a long time she spoke with a male human. This one had a certain charm to him.

"Well, like, to steal shen-gon-wu. Or other stuff. We could try to take over the world." He had heard tales from Wuya. Supposedly, this legend had been quite vicious in the past. He wanted to know everything about her now; her powers, her alternate form, why she had become this way. He knew for certain that she had acquired immortality the same way as his idol.

Jiayi had been interested for a moment. He was strange, to come seeking her. She had hoped that his reason, that his cause, would be a noble one. She had been evil, at first, but regretted it and spent centuries trying to make up for it. "…not interested…"

"I didn't even properly introduce myself, did I? Jack Spicer, evil genius." He held out his hand and was actually surprised when she turned to shake it. Their eyes locked for an instant and he saw mild irritation in her gaze. She was starting to remind him of a cat. "Er…I bet you're wondering how this partnership will benefit you."

She once more returned to her medicines, trying to ignore his stare. "…already said I wasn't interested…I'm not into evil anymore…"

"But it's fun!" Jack saw her frown and he flinched. "It _can_ be fun."

"…clearly, you don't know how evil works…"

"There are different levels of evil!" he argued. "Stealing shen-gon-wu isn't even all that evil! It's _mischievous_!" Hearing her snicker, he couldn't help but grin. "What? You like mischief? Should we just do that instead?"

Regaining her composure, Jiayi glanced over at him. She had to admit that he was sort of cute, as far as normal humans went. He had a certain style about him that was unusual. "Jack…you talk as if I agreed to join."

He watched her pour the medicine into a bottle and cork it. "Okay, so do I have to prove myself first? Is there something I should do? Something you want me to get to prove I'd be a good partner?"

 _Persistent._ She stretched her arms over her head, her back popping quietly. _I haven't seen such persistence in a human in a while. What drives him exactly? I suppose it could be entertaining. I could always avoid committing evil acts and just follow him. Though I am curious…_ Jiayi shrugged out of her cloak and hung it on its hook near the door. "…what would I get out of this partnership…?"

Jack's brain scrambled for reasons he could give, offers he could make. She was staring at him intently, like a cat. With her cloak discarded, he could see scars on her arms and upper chest as well as a few dark tattooed symbols on her forearms. He had limited experience with girls so this was becoming difficult quickly. "Resources! I can get you whatever you need to make your medicines!"

"… _and_ …?" Jiayi crossed her arms now, leaning back against the counter. "You do realize…it will take more than resources…to persuade me back to the Heylin side."

"C-companionship?" He winced when she snickered. "What? I don't know what you want to hear! Just say you'll do it!" The way she watched him was really beginning to remind him of a cat and it was making this even more difficult.

"No…I'll do it…it's just been a while…since I've seen someone so determined to recruit a stranger…I mean…what exactly did you hear about me…?" She took off her gloves now and rummaged through a basket of jars until she came across some lotion. Scooping some out, she rubbed it over her hands and gave him a curious look. "And where did you hear it?"

"Wuya said you were powerful," he admitted. The redhead saw her eye twitch and jumped back a bit. "Uh, how do you know her anyway? She wouldn't tell me!"

Jiayi put her gloves back on and scowled. "…that witch…I thought she would forget…" She looked outside for a moment at the rain, hammering down upon the forest around her. Amber eyes shifted back to Jack when he made a sound of discomfort and raised an eyebrow. "…don't tell me…she built me up to look like some _immaculate warrior_ …"

"I know you are though!" he protested.

"You don't know anything about me…especially if _Wuya_ is your source of information. What else did she say?" She crossed her arms, leaning back against the counter. The young man was sweating and fidgeting, making her realize a number of things. The first was that he was probably awkward around females in general, which she found oddly charming. Secondly, he was fearful of what she might do as well as how she might react to what he said. Third, he was taller than her and it sort of irritated her.

Jack felt himself sweating and hoped she would not notice. She seemed to be studying him closely, making it worse. "She said that you tried to take over all of Asia and Europe and you were stopped. But you were really powerful! And that you try to stay out of everything -!"

She nodded and held up a hand to silence him. "I do. Try to stay out of the business of others immortals. They… _annoy_ me. I can sometimes sense them and…I hide until they're gone…most of them don't even know I exist…and I _like_ it that way. I did try to take over countries…for frivolous reasons. The same reasons for my seeking immortality." Jiayi tilted her head, locks of dark hair falling over one eye. "…go on…ask…"

"Will you join me?" he asked, eagerly.

 _Not quite the question I anticipated._ Jiayi smirked at his enthusiasm and shrugged. "What can it hurt? Sure…I'll join you…but I have some rules."

"Anything you want!"

"You…don't order me around. If I want to leave…I'll leave. And also…" She took a few steps toward him and saw a blush grow on his cheeks. Staring up at him, her smirk grew. "If I tell you to do something…you do it. Understand?"

He nodded, silent for a moment as she stepped back. Taking a shaky breath, he tried to grin his evilest. "Alright! Pack up; we're going to my evil lair!"

The journey to his lair was a long one and by the time they arrived, the young man seemed to collapse into a chair from exhaustion. Jiayi stood in his laboratory, looking over the devices and charts. She unpacked her medicines and books on a small shelf that he said she could have for use and found herself wondering where he slept. _Even asleep, he seems sort of awkward. Cute though._ The thought made her frown. _I haven't seen many males lately. Even when I do, they're not exactly…attractive._

Jiayi watched him sleep for a few minutes, feeling creepy albeit curious. When she sensed the approach of an immortal, she hurried to find a place to hide and secured herself in a cabinet. Her heart pounded, eyes clenched tightly shut. Her experience with immortals in the past had been less than positive. Especially her experience with Wuya. When she heard a voice, a painfully familiar voice, she cringed in her hiding place.

"Lazy boy is asleep," the woman muttered. This was followed by a thud and a cry of alarm. "Wake up! Did you find her or not?!"

Jack, remembering what Jiayi had said about avoiding other immortals, shook his head. "No, I couldn't find her. You were no help, either!" he replied, doing his best to act disappointed.

"Probably for the best. I bet she's gotten _weak_ anyway."

Inside the cabinet, Jiayi scowled and silently cursed. _That witch! Easier to badmouth me when I'm out sight, isn't it?_ She sank her nails into the metal beneath her, anger growing.

"Hey, so no one else has ever mentioned her before. How do you know her?" Jack asked.

"She helped me once and clung to me for years afterwards!"

 _You know that isn't true!_ She gritted her teeth now, fighting the urge to step out of the cabinet and face Wuya to tell her off.

"I mean, even if the others knew about her, I doubt they'd really care!" Wuya continued. "She's so good at staying off of everyone's radar that she would hardly be useful! More annoying than anything! Besides, if they did know about her, it would cause trouble for me. They would want to know why I didn't say anything about her and when she showed her beast form, you-know-who would have a fit!"

"What is her beast form?"

"You don't want to see it." The woman raised an eyebrow at Jack and smirked. "Even if you _did_ meet her, I doubt you would know how to talk to her. She would make you all tongue-tied. She always was considered cute. _Short_ is more like it." Wuya started back to the stairs, glancing at him over her shoulder with a glare. "If you do see her, tell me first. We can't risk the others finding out about her. I don't like competition."

When Jiayi could no longer sense Wuya, she emerged from the cabinet and frowned at Jack. "Thanks…but…maybe I should leave."

"No, don't leave! You just got here and we haven't even done anything yet!" Realizing his weird choice of words, he blushed. "That didn't-!" To his great surprise, she started to laugh quietly. "What? You like that humor?"

"It's pretty funny," she admitted. "So…you're really not good with girls…"

"What?! No way, I'm smooth!" he protested, pretending to be offended.

"Alright…I'll stay…" Jiayi smirked and turned toward one of his charts. "So…which shen-gon-wu should we go after first? And where is it?"

He grinned and moved the chart to a table, eager to get started. "Okay, so we can't go after Wuya's or H.B.'s or C.Y.'s, but we can go to the Xiaolin Temple and try to get theirs! Here's a list of what they have. Have you ever used a shen-gon-wu?"

She examined the list, raising an eyebrow. "I've been alive…for over 1,500 years. I've used shen-gon-wu before." Inwardly, she frowned. _The Xiaolin Temple, huh? That's our only option without my existence being revealed. I'd really rather avoid other immortals. They're nothing but trouble. Well…not that one. But he's been busy. I know he has. Otherwise he would have contacted me…right?_ Though she had hardly any contact with other people, she did make an exception and spend time with one immortal every so often. Of course, that was an impossibility now. _I'm on the Heylin side again. He would never forgive me if he knew._

"This is going to be great! Just pick a few of them and we'll get started!" Jack said, shattering her concentration.


	2. Chapter 2

Consciousness rushed to her quickly, forcing Jiayi to sit up on the mattress and stare around the room in alarm. _Oh…right._ She ran her fingers through her long, dark hair and sighed. _I'm with him. This is a house._ Her mouth turned down at the corners, looking around the dark bedroom again. Something felt a bit 'off' about it, but she was unable to place what it was. Jack was asleep beside her, quietly drooling onto his pillow and unaware of her disturbance.

Shivering, she moved beneath the blankets again and put her back to him. He radiated warmth in a pleasant way that she was unfamiliar with. Even before the change, Jiayi had not been close to too many people. _I did sleep next to someone once_ , she recalled. _Him_ _. We were gathering roots and herbs, but it started to rain. He kept close to me to keep me warm that night…because he thought I would get sick._ She blushed and burrowed deeper beneath the blankets. _I just…I need to stop thinking about him. How disappointed he'll be if he sees me with Jack. If he knows what I'm doing. He could never understand…_

The second time that Jiayi woke, it was to the sound of Jack's alarm going off. She smirked when he jolted off of the bed, tumbling onto the floor, and she reached over to turn off the alarm. "…sleep well…?" she asked, peering at him over the edge of the bed.

The redhead blushed and rubbed the back of his head. He had never actually slept next to a girl before. Even though this girl happened to be a centuries-old immortal, it made no difference to his adolescent brain. "How did you sleep?"

"Well enough." She got out of bed and stretched for a moment, releasing a quiet sound of pleasure. "I'll make breakfast…get the directions ready."

"Directions? I could lead you there with my eyes closed!" he scoffed.

Jiayi pulled her long, wavy hair into a ponytail and made her way to the kitchen. It was a sizeable house that he typically shared with his parents, but they seemed to be abroad when she arrived. The kitchen was well-stocked at least and allowed her to make a decent breakfast for them. When they finished eating, she followed him outside to begin their quest.

It was a long journey to the temple, but when they did reach it, she was impressed. The Xiaolin Temple grounds were beautiful and clean. Of course, it had been quite some time since she set foot on temple grounds. "…this is it…?"

"Yeah. Here, I brought a map." Jack crouched down at the side of the road, unfolding what seemed to be a hand-drawn map, and pointed at one building. "This is where they keep the shen-gon-wu. It'll be easier since there are two of us. One of us can distract them and the other can grab the shen-gon-wu."

"Right…so…?"

"You're the distraction. They've never seen you before, right?" He saw her nod. "Then it works out perfectly! Just go in and strike up a conversation with them."

 _This plan…has many holes. I would point them out, but I'm curious to see if this will actually work. Of course, I have nothing to lose. Not really._ She simply nodded and tucked her hands into her jeans pockets before strolling toward the temple. Many thoughts passed through her mind. Jiayi thought of her friend. The immortal man that she had not seen in quite some time. She wondered just how he would react to seeing her enter temple grounds. About twenty feet onto the grounds, a voice called to her and made her halt.

"Hey! Who are you and what are you doing here?" a male voice called.

The young woman turned and raised an eyebrow. "Hm…can you tell me? I don't quite know where I am," she said. Her amber gaze looked the approaching young man up and down. He was around Jack's age and had brown hair and dark eyes. He was wearing what she vaguely recognized as a monk's training outfit. Though she hated to admit it, he was rather attractive.

The young man had seen her enter the grounds and watched her for a while before calling to her. Her intentions were unclear and when she turned toward him, he stopped in his tracks. The first thing he noticed was that she was sort of short. Five feet and four inches, perhaps. Next was her beauty. Her skin was moon pale and her hair was the dark color of a stormy sky. The eyes that met his sparkled a sharp amber like fire. "You're at the Xiaolin Temple," he finally answered. "Where did you come from? Are you a tourist or something?" He looked down at her tattered jeans and tank top, knowing she had not come from the village.

"Tourist…? You could say that." Jiayi started toward him, half-grinning. _He is quite attractive. A monk though. Xiaolin monk. Too much trouble. Forbidden romance…it's become outdated by this point, I'm sure._ She hated that her cheeks were heating with a blush.

"You have a name?" He raised an eyebrow and tried to maintain his composure, but could not hide his alarm at her appearance. She had scars along her arms and upper chest, dark symbols tattooed on her forearms. Despite her best efforts to seem tough, she was coming across as being adorable. "I'm Raimundo." The monk held out a hand for her to shake and was amazed at how dainty her hand was.

"…Jiayi Xun…"

"So what brings you out into the middle of nowhere?"

"Hm…I make medicines…for the village," she answered quietly. Her eyes were directed to the three figure approaching from behind him. "…friends of yours…?"

"Oh!" He turned to the others, grinning. "Guys, this is Jiayi. She's looking for medicine ingredients, right?" He saw her nod once.

Introductions were given and Jiayi started talking to them about medicines. She nearly forgot about Jack and when she did remember him, she nearly bolted from the temple. "Sorry…I need to leave…" she apologized.

"What? You haven't been here that long," Kimiko argued.

"Yes, but…I have some things…I'm sorry." She bowed slightly. "It's been nice…meeting all of you…"

"Maybe next time you can teach us how to make some of the medicines," Clay suggested.

Jiayi had to smile. Besides her immortal friend, no one else had ever really shown an interest in her medicines. "That…would be nice." She walked casually off of the temple grounds and then ran when she saw Jack waiting for her down the road with a large sack slung over his shoulder. "So…what did you get?"

"Uh…well you distracted them for so long that I took _everything_ ," he admitted.

" _Everything_?! Jack…they're not bad…"

"They're the enemy, Jiayi!"

"Still…they were kind to me…you should put some back…" She turned toward the temple and froze, eyes going wide. _Who is that?! How did they get so close? I didn't even hear them!_ Standing just a few feet away was a man in armor with long black hair. Jiayi stayed frozen in place, as if her lack of movement would make her invisible. He was watching them with narrowed eyes that made her heart skip a beat. _Why is he staring at us like that?_

Jack followed her gaze and fought to hide his surprise. "Oh! H-hey, C.Y.! What brings you here?" he tried to greet the man cheerfully.

The young woman's heart raced as the man strode toward them, her eyes never leaving him. _I didn't sense him, but I can feel it. He's not like Jack or the people I met today. He's…like me. He's immortal._ She shivered when he stepped past her to approach Jack and finally moved when he was out of her line of sight. Her hands had begun to shake so she shoved them into her pockets. _Who is he? What does he want? He knows Jack. Maybe he's going to ask for some shen-gon-wu. That's fine. Just ask, take them, and leave._

"Who is your new acquaintance?"

The man's voice sent chills down her spine, but she refused to let her fear show. She bit the inside of her cheek, hoping that his attention would quickly be drawn elsewhere.

"Xun," Jack replied, remembering that it was the name Wuya had called her. "We were just getting some shen-gon-wu and leaving so-" He winced when the man, his idol, turned to look at the girl. Jack looked as well and could instantly feel her unease. "We need to get going, right, Xun?"

"…that's right…" Jiayi would have winced. The man moved toward her at an inhuman speed and was suddenly inches away, staring down at her. "You are…?"

"You've never heard of me." His voice held amusement, which was reflected in his eyes and smirk. "I'm surprised. You're working with _him_ and he hasn't mentioned me?"

The corner of her mouth lifted ever so slightly and she tilted her head. "…not a word…"

Jack awkwardly approached the two, unsettled by how close they were suddenly. "Xun, this is Chase Young. Chase, this is Xun. We need to go so-"

"Where-?"

"Jack…I believe we should be going," she announced. Jiayi stepped around the armored man and grabbed Jack's hand to start leading him away. _I want to run. Every instinct is telling me to run and hide, but if I do that…he'll know for sure. What if he already knows? What if he could tell right away that I'm…different?_

Thankfully, Jack started to run and forced her to run alongside him. He had known her for a very short time, but he already knew one thing for certain. He did not like to see her so anxious. She almost seemed fearful and it made him wonder about her past experience with immortals. The redhead waited until they were back at his lair before confronting her about it. "So what exactly happened in the past? Why are you so nervous around your own kind? You're strong, right? Couldn't you fight him if you had to?"

"…I could…but I don't want to," she answered. "What happened…it occurred a long time ago. Shortly after I became this way." Jiayi perched on a chair beside Jack in the laboratory and watched him unload his haul from the bag.

"Why did you do it? And you drank Lao Mang Lone Soup, right? But…you're not exactly evil. Chase drank it and he turned evil."

She bowed her head, absently biting at a fingernail. "I _was_ …initially. You know, Jack. I…tried to take over Europe and Asia…soon after becoming immortal." Strands of her long, wavy hair fell over half of her face. "The frivolous reason…for becoming this way…it was love. I fell in love…with someone extraordinary. But he had no interest. So…when I was approached with the opportunity…I took it. I planned something grand…to get his attention. Because if I did something terrible, he would have no choice, right? He would…be forced to face me. To stop me." The memory brought tears to her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she watched Jack sort through the shen-gon-wu and ignored the way he watched her from the corner of his eye. "I got his attention…and he was _furious_. I was defeated. When he turned his back on me…for the final time…I regretted immortality and wanted death. Someone stepped in though. Told me I could make up for my misdeeds by learning medicines. To this day…I don't know what he sees in me…"

"Wait, what? Who told you to learn medicine?"

She shook her head, running fingers through her hair to pull it away from her face. "Just…a friend. He's been my friend for a long time. He always finds me when he knows I need someone." Jiayi met Jack's curious gaze with a pained look. "…are you disappointed…?"

"No way! I can understand why you did it. The guy you liked must have been pretty special though." He slid a shen-gon-wu to her and grinned. "This one suits you the best. The Lunar Locket. Go ahead and put it on."

The young woman accepted it from him and raised an eyebrow. It was a beautiful artifact, however strange its power, and she quickly fixed it around her neck. "…you're not just giving me this because I'm female…?"

He snickered. "That's only part of it. It does look good on you." Her story made him feel slightly disappointed. In truth, he really had been hoping for a more interesting reason for her turning evil. The story she told was a sad one and he was certain that the man she had loved was long dead. He was just glad that she was here now, with him. They could accomplish a lot. He had yet to even see a preview of her abilities. "So the reason you avoid immortals?"

"…right…well, I've just had so many run-ins with Wuya…it makes me wary of other immortals," she replied. "Are they all so arrogant?"

Again, he laughed. "Pretty much. You're the nicest one I've met so far."

 _You haven't met_ _him_ _then, have you?_ Jiayi slouched in her seat and looked over the other shen-gon-wu. "So…that one today…"

"Chase Young. The prince of darkness. The master of all evil. He's my _idol_!" Seeing her look of confusion, and possibly disgust, Jack frowned. "I mean, he's great."

"…sort of seems…cold…far from human…"

"That's what's great about him! He's completely evil!"

Jiayi shifted in her seat, crossing her arms. "Jack…there's such thing as a polite villain. Why do you idolize someone like him…?"

"You don't think he's great?" He saw her shake her head. "This is getting awkward. Well, he's really powerful! You have to admit that! I mean, you should have the same abilities since you both drank the soup, right? So _you_ would know better than anyone!"

"…I suppose…but I still have manners…" She stood and stretched her arms over her head, listening to her joints pop. "I'm going to make dinner…will you be done soon?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to catalog these first." Jack started drawing a new chart, but paused when he felt that something was 'off'. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jiayi going upstairs, her back to him. Turning back to his task, he felt a chill run down his spine. The young man felt as though he was being watched.

Jack tried to focus on his work, but the sensation persisted. He looked over his shoulder often, though this proved a fruitless effort. There was no one in the basement with him. He could hear sounds in the kitchen above, proving that Jiayi had already set about making their dinner. Recalling that she had an immortal friend that watched over her, he started to wonder if it was him. This was followed by the question of whether or not this friend would try to take her back to the Xiaolin side. Whether or not this friend had followed them and was now in the basement with him, watching him, waiting for an opportunity to take him down and whisk Jiayi back to the forest. When she called down to him that their meal was ready, he was more than happy to run upstairs to join her.


	3. Chapter 3

A week had passed, but the feeling persisted. He looked across the laboratory at Jiayi, who was perched comfortably in a chair and eating instant ramen. She saw him looking and offered a half-smile before returning to her meal. It was odd to see an immortal eat. A powerful immortal that could possibly rival his idol in power. Even weirder was that she ate anything he suggested. She seemed to be alright with anything, just going with the flow. When he planned a burglary, she went along with him and made no protest. She seemed almost like a normal girl his age, the more he looked at her. Of course, he had wondered briefly if Wuya had lied to him. If Jiayi really was normal. This suspicion was put to rest when she used superhuman speed to throw him out of the way of a speeding truck.

Sitting back, he continued to stare. _She's just eating that ramen like it's no big deal. Even eating instant ramen, she looks dignified._ He frowned and finally turned away to check some surveillance tapes. Since the feeling of being watched did not go away, he had taken to checking the tapes a few times each day. So far, they yielded no results. _It doesn't surprise me. If her immortal friend is here, he can probably keep himself hidden. Who is it though? What if it's H.B.?_ The thought of that villain storming into the house, destroying everything in his path, and taking Jiayi with him…made Jack extremely unsettled.

The young woman had finished her meal and set the bowl aside, turning her attention to the chart of shen-gon-wu. She tilted her head and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, smirking. "…these ones…that belong to your 'idol'…"

"You want to go after one of those?" he asked, full of hope. It might be his only chance to see her use her abilities to their fullest. He might even get to see her beast form.

"…not me…but if _you_ want them…"

"Oh. Right, you don't like other immortals. Forgot for a second." Jack looked at the artifacts laid out around the room and frowned. _We got these without having to try too hard. It was almost too easy. Kind of takes the fun out of it._ Hearing her yawn, he looked back to Jiayi. She was stretching, her eyes closed. She was beautiful, he had to admit. But in an almost terrifying, inhuman sort of way. It made him nervous. It always did. He would never tell her, but sometimes he had thoughts about her. Certain thoughts. He was sure that it would disgust her. After all, she seemed to show no romantic interest in anyone.

She met his gaze and half-grinned. "Jack…what should we do today?"

He looked away quickly, ashamed that he was blushing. "It's kind of late. I don't think we should go out."

"…okay…" Jiayi sat back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Jack wondered if she ever thought about her past love. The "extraordinary" man that made her want to turn evil just to get his attention. It really was a weird reason to become evil. Not that he was complaining; he could not ask for a better partner. She was quiet, she could cook, she had interesting stories, and she was pleasant to look at. He still wanted to see her fight, but she had refused so far.

 **Shift P.O.V**

When night fell, Jiayi sat awake beside Jack. He was drooling on his pillow again, hugging her pillow to his chest as he slept. She stared at him for a moment, feeling vaguely creepy, and smirked. _He…looks cute when he sleeps._ Her fingertips gently brushed his bright red hair away from his pale face and she raised an eyebrow. _He forgot to take off his eyeliner._

She turned her gaze to the alarm clock and saw that it was extremely early in the morning. Falling onto her back beside him, with no pillow, Jiayi sighed. She tried to fall asleep, but heard him whimper once or twice in his sleep. Absently reaching over, her fingers ran through his hair until he seemed to calm down. _What sort of nightmares could he be having? He doesn't actually talk much about himself. He talks about his mother sometimes and about Wuya, but not really about himself. Why not?_ The young man released her pillow in favor of wrapping both arms around her, pulling her close against him. Color rushed to her pale cheeks and she squirmed for a moment before relaxing. _I guess…it's not so bad. I've never actually been held this way before. Even when_ _he_ _slept next to me, he didn't hold onto me like this._

Jack mumbled something in his sleep and moved closer to her, leaving no space between them. The young woman tried to keep her breathing steady and closed her eyes. She gave sleep her best attempt, but it simply was not going to come. Not when she was so nervous. _I'm over 1,500 years old and I'm getting nervous over a boy like Jack. How did I ever think I could handle taking over Asia and Europe?_ Her eyes opened as a chill ran down her spine. From her peripheral, she could see a shape in the darkness that should not be there.

It was standing against the far wall, arms crossed in the dark room and seeming to stare at the bed's two occupants. Jiayi narrowed her eyes, trying to determine who it was. Her mind first went to Wuya. It would not be surprising if the witch was spying on Jack while he slept; she had always given Jiayi the creeps. Her next thought was that it might be her friend. She had not seen him in quite a while and he might have sensed that she left the shack. Though she remembered him having broader shoulders. Another chill raced through her as the figure started toward the bed. She closed her eyes tightly and shifted to wrap her arms around Jack. _If they try to take him, they're getting me too! Or…well I guess if they're after me, they're getting him too!_

Instead, they halted at the side of the bed and continued to stare down at the two. Jack's left arm was wrapped around her waist, his right arm wrapped around her just beneath her bust. His fingertips dug into her ribcage, as if he unconsciously sensed the presence. She bit her lip to keep from crying out in alarm. "…don't know who you are…but you should **_leave_** …" she snarled quietly when she could take the silence no longer.

"What will you do if I refuse?"

Her eyes snapped open, but the figure had gone. As much as she hated to do it, she closed her eyes again and finally felt sleep wash over her. Moments later, she woke again and slipped out of the bed. Jack whimpered in his sleep, but did not wake. Jiayi changed into a clean t-shirt and tattered jeans. She left the house with the sun still down, trying not to think about how she felt as if she was being watched. It unsettled her greatly and she even considered returning to Jack's house once or twice, but she knew she had to do this.

When she reached the Xiaolin Temple, she returned a small portion of Jack's shen-gon-wu into the vault and found a temple roof to perch upon. The sun was starting to rise, turning the sky a soft pink. _I wonder if he's even noticed I'm gone._ Jiayi frowned and let her hair down from its ponytail. _Jack. He's still asleep. I wonder if…Guan has noticed that I'm gone. Probably not. It's been a while since I saw him._

"Hey! What are you doin' up there?" a male voice called.

Jiayi looked down to the ground below and saw the blonde monk staring up at her. "…just…reminiscing…" she quietly answered. When he continued to stare, she raised an eyebrow. "…Clay, was it…?" He nodded. "You…want me to come down…?"

He tipped his hat forward. "I reckon that wouldn't be the worst thing you could do."

 _The worst I could do? You have no idea._ She stood and jumped down to land beside him. He seemed alarmed, but said nothing about her leaping so many feet without injury. "…good morning…you're up early…"

"I always wake up this early," he replied. "What brings you here?"

She shrugged and pushed her hands into her pockets. "Clay…you _know_ , don't you?"

"If you're talkin' about the missin' shen-gon-wu, _everyone_ knows."

"…I came to return them…"

"Why steal 'em in the first place?" He frowned when she started to walk away and moved to keep pace with her. "Jiayi. You're-"

"It's not easy…it just gets harder…the longer you live…you never get used to it…" Her sharp amber gaze met his blue eyes and she saw him wince. "…I'm _not_ evil…"

"Never said you were. But what are you?"

Again, she shrugged. "I may never know for sure. I just wish you hadn't seen me."

"You should stay here. Everyone was wonderin' if you'd come back."

"I left my partner alone so…I can't stick around. Sorry. Maybe another time?" Jiayi saw him reach to the shen-gon-wu tucked into his belt and hurriedly leapt onto the roof again. She stared down at him and tilted her head. "Clay…you don't want to hurt me."

"If you're fixin' to steal more shen-gon-wu, then I gotta stop you!" he answered.

She hated it, but seeing someone want to fight her ignited animal instincts. Her hips swayed back and forth, as if she were swishing a tail like a cat, and she smirked. "…oh, Clay…you don't want to do this…I've tried so hard…spent _centuries_ …working to repent for my past transgressions…and if I attack you, I'll really have returned to the Heylin side."

"Jiayi, don't make me come up there! Just come down nice an' easy now!"

"What's going on?!" To the young woman's absolute horror, the other young monks soon arrived and were staring up at her. Raimundo's appearance in particular made her start to feel guilty about what she had done. "Jiayi, what are you doing?"

Clay explained what was happening, what she had said, and her shame grew immensely. She pulled herself out of their line of sight and curled up in a ball. _I can't teleport. I can't fight them. I just can't! I'll lose control; I know I will! I might hurt them and…he would be so disappointed in me…_

"What is everyone looking at?" It was the very last voice that she wanted to hear just then and sent her into an absolute panic. "Is there something on the roof?"

Two options came to mind, but both would require an immense amount of effort. The first option was to shift forms and run as fast and as far from the temple as possible. This, of course, would put everyone around her in jeopardy. The second option was to leap down and try to bolt past all of them without him noticing her. Instantly, she realized that neither option would work. "…I'm _not_ evil…" she quietly called.

"We know that, Jiayi. Just come down. Everything will be alright." The voice was soft and reassuring, but she was shamed nonetheless. When she did slip down to the ground, he met her worried gaze with a smile. "It has been a while since I've seen you interact with people."

Her hands were shoved into her pockets again and she averted her gaze. "Guan…it's been a while…" she muttered.

"What brings you so far from home?"

"Wait, you _know_ each other?!" Raimundo exclaimed.

"Jiayi is a reformed member of the Heylin side," Guan explained. "She makes medicines for the nearby village."

She winced when he put a hand on her shoulder, irritated and humiliated that they had to find out. _I need to get back to the lair. But I don't want him to know where I'm going._ Standing there, listening to him converse with the young monks, she considered running again.

"You should really consider staying for a while," Guan finally told her. "I just arrived to teach the young monks…" His eyes narrowed on a shape in the distance and he pushed Jiayi behind him.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she hissed.

"You need to remain invisible," he stated over his shoulder. "Take refuge in the temple while I take care of this."

 _Take care of…what?_ Jiayi's hand was grabbed by one of the male monks and she was led into one of the buildings, but not before glimpsing a figure approaching from the distance. A vaguely familiar figure. _What did Jack call him? Wait! Jack! I left Jack at his house alone! I have to get back to him!_

"Why does he want you to hide?" Kimiko gave her a suspicious look.

"How do you know Master Monk Guan? He has never mentioned you before," Omi pointed out.

"What are you?" Clay asked for the second time.

Jiayi sat in a corner, drawing her knees to her chest and absently biting at a fingernail. "…Guan…might have been _ashamed_ …" She saw their looks of skepticism and she frowned. "I did…try to take over Europe and Asia…a long time ago…"

"Why would you wanna do that?" The blonde settled in front of her, staring her down. He was trying to determine whether or not she was a threat.

Raimundo sat beside her, watching her closely for signs of an attack. She was nervous, but seemed calm enough. " _I_ was evil for a while."

"…that…doesn't mean that you completely understand…" Her eyes half-closed and she bowed her head. "…my partner…I left him by himself…I need to go back soon…"

"If you go out now, he's gonna see you. I don't know why Master Monk Guan is so dead-set on hidin' you, but it seems like he might know what's best," Clay told her.

"…I was told by my partner…that I could probably fight him…"

"Master Monk Guan?!"

"No…not him. I could never…fight _him_. I meant that arrogant fool that he's hiding me from." She smirked and stood, curling her hands into fists. "If I don't go now…I won't return before my partner wakes up. I can think of a way that I can get past them both…but I need help. A distraction. If you're willing…"

"What do you need us to do?"

Jiayi started for the exit, her smirk growing with each step. "Cause a commotion…say that I'm making my way to the road. I'll take the long way back to my partner. I just need for those two…to look away for a while. That's all it should take." She heard a confirmation from each monk. "One last thing…don't look at me once I'm outside. It won't be pretty."

"I still don't get why you need to hide from him. He's never mentioned you before," Kimiko pointed out.

"We've never met before. I don't know why Guan wants me to hide…but everything he does, he does for a reason. I won't question it. I owe him too much to question his motives." She waited for the others to step outside and move off in one direction before she took a deep breath. _Steady…steady…don't forget your humanity. Don't forget that they mean you no harm._ Jiayi stepped out into the sunlight and felt her bones begin to shift as her body changed shape.


	4. Chapter 4

It was an indescribable feeling. Jiayi felt a perfect blend of elation, fear, liberation, and shame as she bounded over the earth. The plan to slip past while they were distracted had failed. She had known that the chances of them not seeing her were slim. The chances of not being pursued were even slimmer. What she had not anticipated was that Jack had told the truth. Running behind her was what could only be described as a horrific, oversized reptile. She felt the swipe of claws over her tail every so often, urging her forward. Jiayi's paws left prints in the dirt around the temple grounds as she made her best attempt to run and hide.

She knew that Guan had seen her. It was humiliating. This form, this large cat body, was her biggest show of weakness. It was a form she only took when she was too afraid to deal with something or too angry to face it rationally. Once or twice, Jiayi's steps faltered and she nearly tumbled onto her face, but she always caught herself and managed to keep running. _He's quick_ , she thought with a glance over her shoulder. _I have a head-start though! And I think we might be evenly matched…maybe?_

Her gaze lifted and was glad that they had moved away from the temple grounds. She had worried for the safety of the young monks. She was still worried about Guan. He was nowhere to be seen and she worried that he might put himself in harm's way to help her. Jiayi gritted her teeth, glancing back once more and meeting reptilian eyes. _I have to lose him! I have to do something! I need to get back to Jack, but I can't do anything until I get away from this-!_ Jiayi's left side exploded with pain and her step faltered. Her body rolled through the grass, shifting back to its proper human shape, and crashed against a tree trunk with a loud thud.

The young woman's hand went to her aching side and came away red, sticky. Her amber eyes widened as she realized that he had raked his claws through her cat body's fur and flesh to weaken her into stopping. She clenched one hand into a fist, the other holding her wounded side. It would heal quickly. She would be fully recovered within two days. The problem now was the man staring down at her, one corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. "…well…what do you want?" she quietly demanded.

He watched a lock of her dark hair fall over her pale face, reveled in that spark of fear in her eyes. "Why did you run?"

Jiayi pushed herself to stand, leaning against the tree and feeling blood run down her side. "I…was just trying to leave. I have somewhere to be." She cringed when he was suddenly right in front of her, watching her cheeks turn pink.

"You're _weak_." Rage flared in her amber eyes and he leaned down so his face was inches from hers. He swiftly dodged a swipe aimed at his face, but was soon back in close proximity. "What are you?"

"…I'm _nothing_ …so leave me alone," she snarled back. A hand clutched her throat and she wanted desperately to thrash out of his grip, but was unsure of what he was capable of. _Guan must have had a reason for hiding me from this person. He always has a good reason for what he does…even if it doesn't seem like it at first._ Going completely still, she forced her eyes to remain locked with his. "…Chase, was it…?"

"Now you're curious?" He saw her face growing pink again and leaned down to her ear. "I could end you right now if I wanted to."

"…I doubt that…" She felt the smirk growing on her lips, but knew that he was unable to see it. "You asked before. What am I? It's funny…I'm not exactly certain what I am. All I know…is that I never age…and I've lived 1,500 years. And…I won't let _you_ be the end of me." Her lips spread wider and she leaned in close to the man's neck. Seconds before her teeth sank in, she caught the scent of something familiar. Something that made her stomach growl. Her teeth pierced his skin, blood filled her mouth, and moments later her body was flying through the air and smashing into another tree. She landed hard on the ground and quickly shifted into a crouched position, her hips subconsciously swaying back and forth like a cat's tail and her amber eyes narrowed upon him.

The man pressed a hand to his bleeding neck, staring down at her in amusement. "Do you think this will stop me?"

"Stop you from what? Just what did you plan to do once you caught me? You…don't know me. You know nothing about me."

"Why would he hide you? Why is he protecting you?"

"…I don't know why…and even if I knew, I have no obligation to tell you," she growled. Jiayi caught the scent once more, her stomach roaring at her. _So Jack was telling the truth. Lao Mang Lone Soup. I knew it smelled familiar._ Chase was moving toward her now. Her heart began to race and she watched him carefully. _I don't know what he's capable of._

He lifted Jiayi by the front of her shirt and slammed her back against the tree trunk. She glowered up at him, baring her bloody teeth. "What makes you so special? More importantly, why are you with _him_?" The girl offered no explanation, instead letting his blood run from the corner of her mouth in satisfaction. "Do you think it was wise to attack me? Do you think you can act without repercussions?"

Jiayi's eyes clenched tightly shut as his face moved closer to hers. Something wet touched her jaw and traced along the line of blood to the corner of her lips. Her body began to shake violently as she felt something warm and wet press against her mouth, leaving the lingering taste of blood and a sticky sensation when he pulled away. _What did he just do?! Did he seriously just-?_ The feeling returned and was accompanied by his armored body pressing close against hers. _What is he doing?!_

"Put her down." The voice came from behind Chase and made him slowly look over his shoulder. Jiayi was able to see the newcomer and her face burned red with shame. "I said to put her down. Now. Gently."

She was dropped roughly onto the ground, her back scraping on the rough tree bark. The second that he had turned away, Jiayi shifted forms and rushed off into the forest to escape. As she ran, she was confident that Guan would keep him from pursuing her. _Though I hate that he feels the need to protect me_ , she thought as she felt the wind rushing through her fur. _I hate that he's taking responsibility for me. That he had to see me that way. Why does he care? He's always cared…ever since I was defeated all those centuries ago. He's always made sure that I had everything I needed._

Jiayi found Jack's door closed when she arrived back at his home and grimaced. It was a little after noon and she questioned whether he was sleeping or doing something else. Something she should not see and she no desire to know about. She wandered down to the laboratory and settled in a chair with a book. Jack would find her when he was ready. Her mind wandered to the smell of Lao Mang Lone Soup and it made her stomach growl again. _I haven't had it in a while. Guan usually reminds me to consume it and brings it to me._

"So this is where you've been."

She winced at the sound of the witch's voice and fought the instinct to hide. "…Wuya…to what do I owe this…pleasant visit?" Her chair was turned so she was forced to face the woman and she scowled.

"I saw you today. Did you think I wouldn't know? You finally met him. Your 'soul mate'. Your 'destined prince'. Do you think I'll let you have him that easily?!"

"You know…as much as 'crazy' suits you…it's very _unbecoming_." Jiayi saw Wuya's eye twitch and it gave her a small sense of satisfaction. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about. Have you finally gone _senile_?"

Absolute fury ignited in the woman's green eyes and she gripped the arms of Jiayi's chair until they cracked. "I saw you with Chase Young today! Don't pretend like you weren't all over him, Jiayi! I'm not a fool! I'm not going senile! We both know that you've been waiting for this day so that you can-!"

"If you want him, you can have him. I have no interest in that fool." Jiayi's tone was cold, harsh. She pushed Wuya away and stood with the intention to go upstairs and check on Jack. The other woman grabbed her arm with a scowl firmly in place on her face. "What?"

The witch narrowed her eyes on Jiayi's mouth. "If you have no interest in him, why were you so close to him? Why was your mouth on his neck?"

"Wuya…I will **_tear you apart_** if you don't let go of my arm." The redhead conceded and Jiayi smirked. "If you want Chase, you can have him. I don't know what that nonsense was…about my 'soul mate' or 'destined prince'…but I know it's not him." She started up the stairs, hands shoved into her pockets.

"Is it Guan then?"

Jiayi snickered. "He's…more like an older brother…"

"Jack?" Wuya cackled when Jiayi tripped on the top step. "I knew it. I knew he was lying when he said he was unable to find you."

The girl was glad when Wuya left, but now she was puzzled. _Calling him my 'soul mate' is a bit much. We just work well together._ She started to make lunch and was soon joined by her male companion. "…morning…"

"Afternoon," he muttered, slouching at the table.

"You slept a lot." She plated some food for him. "…have any good dreams…?"

His face turned red and he quietly began to eat. He could never tell her about the dream he had, as great as it had been. "Where were you today?" He was worried that she might have gotten into trouble, he was a little more worried about her meeting up with her old friend. Meeting up with him and then possibly leaving Jack's side.

"I just…had to run an errand." Jiayi winced as all of the pain of her wound seemed to hit her at once. _Well the adrenaline lasted longer than I thought. That's good at least. But now what? What if Chase comes here? I need to protect Jack now. I bit that creep on the neck and took out a small chunk of skin. He isn't likely to forget that._

All at once, Jack's face grew pale. "Wh-what happened to you?! You're bleeding!"

She pressed a hand against her wounded side, feeling that her shirt was damp and sticky. "…I had an accident…don't worry about it…." Jiayi sat across from Jack, trying not to meet his gaze. _Don't think about the pain. Don't think about the pain._

He leaned over, his eyes going wide. "Jiayi, those look like claw marks."

"It's nothing! Didn't I say not to worry about it?! Why can't you just leave it alone?" she demanded. The girl stood and grimaced at the pain.

"There's a medical kit downstairs. Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her along to the laboratory, pushing the kit into her hands and turning his back. "I can't look or I'll puke, but clean those and wrap them up."

"I can do it," she stated. "I just…wish I had my medicines with me." Jiayi's face turned pink as she pulled off the bloody shirt and set about cleaning the wound. The gouges were deep and the blood that flowed from them was dark. They would heal quickly enough, but seemed to be taking their time. _It's been a while since I had the soup_ , she remembered. _I'll have to find Guan later and ask if he can get some for me. It's probably the reason for this slow healing._ She wrapped a thick bandage around her abdomen, covering the claw marks effectively, and blushed red when she realized that Jack had turned to look at her. "…what…? I thought you couldn't look without vomiting."

He was embarrassed that what had started off as just curiously glancing had turned into staring. She was thinner beneath her clothes, paler, but she had feminine curves that made him blush. With the bandage wrapped around her abdomen, her dark hair wild and tangled, she looked sort of feral. "So what happened?" he forced himself to ask.

She frowned and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, instantly recalling the morning's events. "Your idol…lacks more than manners."

"What?! Chase Young did this?" Jack frowned back at her. "Wait. Why were you around Chase Young today? Did you go looking for-?"

"No! I…I would never look for someone like him…" Jiayi leaned back against the counter, her arms crossed. "I went back to the temple…and he was there. Basically. I don't know why he was there, but he was." She studied his expression and saw surprise, anger, and fear. _He doesn't need to know everything that happened. I don't want anyone else to know._

"What did you do to make him attack you?!"

"Nothing! I'm telling you…I didn't antagonize him!" They were silent for a moment, neither of them wanting to risk saying something wrong. "Jack…can I borrow a shirt?" She watched him go and finally let her body slide down to the floor, curling up in a ball. _I need to get Lao Mang Lone Soup…or my wounds won't heal. I know that now. It hurts so much, but I know I need to get to it no matter what. I need to find Guan._

Jack found her lying on the floor when he returned and helped her put on the clean shirt he had located. She was shivering and seemed reluctant to move. He had some idea of what was happening. Her body was getting weaker. Her immortality seemed to be running thin. He feared what might happen if she failed to get the soup in time and he knew for certain where he could get some. The only problem was that it would mean facing Chase Young. He also knew he could try to make it himself. That could be very difficult.

"…don't worry about me…I can handle this," she said, offering a weak smile.

"No way! We're going to get some Lao Mang Lone Soup for you! That's what you need, right? We'll get some for you. Can you stand up?" He helped her outside, his mind racing. They would need to get to the other villain's lair first. If he left Jiayi behind, it would take longer for her to ingest the soup. Every second counted.

She leaned against his side for support, the pain fading away into numbness. "…it's been too long…I thought I would be okay…I didn't think…"

"Don't talk, okay? You're wasting energy! Just…here. Get in." He maneuvered her into the passenger seat of a vehicle and hurried into the driver's seat. "We'll get the soup and you'll be better in no time! Just don't fall asleep!"

Jiayi was slouched in the seat, her strength draining out of her quickly. She watched the forest seem to fly past the vehicle, a small feeling of dread starting to form in her stomach. _Where is he planning to get it? I haven't seen a dragon in quite a while. Unless he's planning to find Guan…_ Terror grew in her heart and she began to tremble with fear.


	5. Chapter 5

By the time they arrived at their destination, Jiayi was looking absolutely wretched. Jack opted to leave her in the forest, more or less hiding her weakened body among some plants, and set off to venture into the lair alone. The girl was growing paler, her limbs feeling heavy. She let her eyes half-close as she stared up at the blue sky above her. _If I die, it might be better. I like Jack. I don't want to leave him behind. I like those monks, too. And Guan. I would feel bad about leaving Guan behind._ She shakily lifted a hand, gaping at the blood-painted flesh. She had bled through the bandage by this point. "…so this is how it ends…"

"You've been alive over hundreds of years and you're gonna let it end this way?" The voice was not familiar, but the large armored figure was. It loomed over her, blocking the sunlight, and the bird perched on its shoulder screeched at her. "I didn't help you so you could get yourself killed 1,500 years later, girl."

"…helped me…? You think you _helped_ me? I drank it…just like you said. I put my plan into action. You know…the plan that _you_ said would work. The plan that would make him notice me…make him love me. You _lied_."

"I saw how it worked out."

"…it _didn't_ work out…"

"Now I told you that you'd find someone better, didn't I?"

"And I told you that I loved him…and you said fine." She clenched her hand into a red, sticky fist. "So what do you think…? Will Jack get it to me in time?"

"He better. Otherwise that's a lot of effort wasted."

She took a shaky breath, her chest hurting as blood oozed through Jack's shirt and soaked the grass beneath her. "If you knew that he would despise me…why did you urge me on? In what way did you benefit from making me eternally young?"

He chuckled and she recognized it from the night she had turned. "You were supposed to be the perfect tool. The perfect bait. That night you were defeated, I was going to collect you. But that fool Guan beat me to it. Guess it's not too late. I could still get some use out of you. At least now he knows about you."

"…Chase Young…?" She winced. Just speaking the name seemed to increase her pain. "And just how did you expect to use me? Bait? A tool?"

"To control him."

Jiayi watched him draw out of her line of sight and let her hand fall limply to her side. _Hannibal Roy Bean. I haven't seen him since that night that he convinced me to drink the soup. I should have known he would have such a stupid ulterior motive. Controlling Chase Young by using me. It's nonsense._ She lied there for a while longer, unsure of how much time passed. Movement was becoming difficult and painful.

Her mind began to wander, thinking back to her past. Back to her beginnings. She had grown up outside of a small village in China, raised by her mother and father. Her mother was skilled at making clothes and raising cattle. Her father had been skilled at making armor and weapons. Many in the village had claimed that Jiayi's husband would be very lucky to have such in-laws and to have such a pretty wife. It had always irritated her. Young men had courted her incessantly for a while until one day, when they all seemed to lose interest except for one. The other young men seemed to almost fear her after that.

She snapped out of her memories, back to reality, when she realized that the sky was moving. _No…I'm moving._ Something was dragging her backwards through the forest. Jiayi reached to the back of her neck and nicked her fingers on sharp teeth. A warning growl from the creature made her drop her hands at her sides once more. The girl tilted her head back slightly and saw a tiger's face staring back at her. _A tiger. I'm being dragged away by a tiger. So this is how it ends? 1,500 years and I'm going to be devoured alive by a tiger._ She snorted and shakily lifted a hand, brushing her bloody fingers over the creature's muzzle in a soothing way. "…almost ironic, huh…? The stormy tiger gets eaten by an orange one…but I don't blame you…" A flicker of sympathy in its eyes made her sigh and go lax once more.

Jiayi hoped that Jack would be safe. She worried that he might search for her, putting himself in danger. She worried that he might find her corpse. Despite all of these worries, she was glad of one thing. _I'll never have to see Hannibal Roy Bean or Chase Young ever again. I won't be used as a tool to…_ The tiger had stopped and Jiayi realized that they were at the foot of a volcano. Her shirt was released and the creature bounded off, leaving her alone in the grass. The girl's hands lifted to rub her eyes, smudging her pale face with blood. When she moved them away, she was staring up at an increasingly familiar face. "…Jack…?"

"I got help," he said with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "The only problem is-"

"Move aside." Chase smirked down at her look of pain and frustration. "You should be happier to see me. I'm the only one that can help you now."

Even as he lifted her bridal style, Jiayi scowled. "I don't…want your help. I would rather die," she snarled.

"You don't have a choice. Besides, I haven't named my price yet."

Her sharp amber eyes were on the sky and then a ceiling as the man carried her. She stole a glance at his neck and saw that he was fully healed with no evidence of the wound she had inflicted. "What would someone like you want?"

The man settled her in a chair at a table, a bowl of the familiar soup sitting in front of her. "Eat first. We can negotiate later."

To her irritation, he sat across from her. Jack took the seat beside her, giving the girl an expectant look. With trembling hands, she lifted a spoon and began to eat. She felt two pairs of eyes on her and would have growled at them to look away, but quickly became distracted. Jiayi could feel the wound on her side sealing up and mending itself. It felt peculiar, but it confirmed what she had suspected. Chase was not doing this for Jack. He was providing her with the soup for his own selfish reasons. Her eyes narrowed upon him as she finished eating, debating whether or not she could grab Jack and dash out of the lair before they were caught.

"You're a monster." Her words were cold, harsh. She stood and put both hands on the table, her hips subconsciously swaying from side to side. "You're a monster…and a _weakling_. If your plan was to make me indebted to you…by injuring me at my weakest…and providing me with the one thing that will keep me alive…you're a monster."

Chase raised an eyebrow, more amused than angry. "Do you think it wise to insult your host?" he taunted.

"I don't recall agreeing to be your guest." Jiayi grabbed Jack's hand and turned to lead him out the door, but found her path blocked by the other immortal. She took a step back from him, grimacing when his hands found her waist and held tightly. "Release me or-"

"Release you so that you can go back to living a lie? Why do you try so hard to be good when you could give in and let your natural evil take over?" he hissed, leaning down to her ear.

Jack watched this with wide eyes, fearful for many reasons. The first fear was that his idol would kill him and then Jiayi. The second fear was that his idol would take Jiayi away from him, turn her against him. The girl's hand left his as she reached to grab Chase's dark hair and pull hard. Jack took several steps back as a low growl left the man.

"You weren't meant to be on the Xiaolin side. Did you think it would be that easy to just change? I can see it in your eyes that you know. You can never be like them. Xun."

"My name is Jiayi," she snarled. She pulled harder at his hair, but it was clear that he felt no pain from it. In fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect. The growl echoing from the back of his throat was not one of pain or anger. "I'm not like you! I'm not evil!" Jiayi twisted out of his hold, taking on a defensive stance. "I'm _not_ evil," the girl repeated, shaking slightly.

"You seem to forget the damage I inflicted upon you earlier. Do you really think that you could defeat me?" Chase crossed his arms, watching her closely. She was nervous and it showed in her every movement. "You just don't remember what it really feels like, do you? To watch pathetic humans quake in fear at your approach. To feel power running through your veins. True power. I can see it in your eyes. You've been restraining yourself for centuries."

When he advanced, it was in the fashion of a true predator. Jiayi's muscles tensed and she twisted out of his reach, making him step closer and closer as she continued to evade him. Much as she hated it, she felt a smirk taking form on her pale face as he became frustrated. _Evenly matched. We really do seem to be close in terms of speed. Strength…not so much. But he hasn't seen all that I can do. Not even Guan has seen that._ Jiayi twirled several steps away from Chase, snickered, and then closed in faster than he could blink. Her fingers tangled into his hair and when she twirled away again, it was with strands of long dark hair between her digits.

He growled lowly, finally beginning to lose his patience. "Enough of these games. You seem to forget who just saved your life."

"I never asked you to." Her hips were swaying back and forth in her excitement, making it look like she might pounce on him. She felt almost disgusted, though almost flattered, when she saw something flare in his eyes. Something she was only recently becoming familiar with and even then, only in Jack's eyes. _Jack! That's right!_ Her gaze shifted to him with worry.

The redhead seemed to instantly understand, but was reluctant to leave her. "I-I'll be waiting outside, I guess."

They both watched him go, the girl's anxiety growing when Chase looked back to her. "You sent him away. What do you hope to gain? Do you think you can defeat me?"

"No…I don't plan to attempt it," she replied. Jiayi tilted her head, narrowing her gaze upon him. She was trying to put a name to what she saw in his eyes, but struggled. _Not exactly like how Jack looks at me. Similar, but different._

"You and I are the same. Doesn't it stand to reason that you should give in to your urges and join me?" Chase saw her frown and he smirked, holding out a hand to her. "Join me and you won't need to hide your true nature. You can be as evil as you want. All I ask for in return is your submission."

"Ah…there it is. What you've been wanting…since this morning. Not lust. Not love. You just want to _dominate_ me…you want to prove that you're _above_ me…" Her frown shifted into a smirk of her own. "Well…you're ridiculous as you are foolish." She bit the inside of her cheek when he appeared right in front of her and moved to take a step back, but found her rear pressed against the edge of the table. Hands gripped her shoulders and she clenched her eyes shut, almost expecting him to throw her as he had earlier that day.

The man stared down at her in amusement. She was unlike most females he had encountered. Unlike most people. Jiayi Xun seemed to dislike her own kind as well as most humans. He had learned a few things about her since their first encounter the week before. She had gained eternal youth in the same way that he had. She avoided most people like the plague, with the exception of Guan. For reasons he had yet to discern, the other man had been hiding her from him for the past centuries. It only served to make him want her more now that he was aware of her presence. Jack seemed enamored with the girl already, which proved irritating despite the redhead presenting no real threat. Looking down at the girl, Chase's eyes were met by her feral amber glare. Her long, wavy hair fell over her half of her face and down her shoulders in dark locks. She looked afraid, but also furious.

Jiayi blinked up at him, feeling her face turning pink. "…how long do you intend to stand here like this…? It's been about ten minutes."

Upon closer, lengthier, inspection he saw something familiar in her face. Familiar from many, many years ago. His brow furrowed and his face drew closer to hers. She tried to lean back to put distance between herself and Chase, but ended up falling onto her back on the table. Her feet remained planted on the floor, her legs bent and straining painfully. His smirk returned and he pressed down on her shoulders hard. "Do you love him?"

"…a man like you…so arrogant and cold…uses a word like love?" she taunted.

"Do you love him?" His hold on her shoulders tightened until she cried out in pain.

"I don't see how it concerns you…and I'm not even certain who you're referring to." She felt him press against her and cringed. "…you're too close…"

"If I intend to dominate you, I intend to do it in every way." The words were spoken in a growl as he leaned down so his face nearly touched her neck.

The girl shivered, feeling teeth scrape along her pale throat. His lower half pressed tighter against hers and she bit her lower lip to silence a sound from escaping. _I haven't been in a situation like this before. Jack…doesn't seem aggressive enough to get this close unless I start it. Guan would never treat me this way and…even the man I fell in love with…would never be this way with me._ She shook her head, but one of his hands released her shoulder in favor of holding her jaw tightly, forcing her head back to give him better access to the girl's neck.

When Jiayi could no longer handle the strange sensations that he was causing, she twisted in an effort to pull free. His hold tightened on her, his teeth closed lightly on her skin. "Urh! Nnnnnh! D-don't-!" Her mouth opened in a silent cry when she felt his lips latch onto her flesh, one hand still holding her jaw and the other tracing down her side to her hip. "Let…go! Let go of me!" She reached to the back of his head and tangled her fingers into his hair before pulling harshly. He growled against her neck, sending vibrations into her skin, and his hips seemed to pull back slightly before thrusting against hers. A sound left her lips that made her blush madly.

"Weak," he murmured against her. "Weak and vicious. You know what I want though, don't you? There is no denying it. Stop restraining yourself and you will feel so much better."

Her eye twitched in anxiety, her eyes half-closed as she tugged at his hair again. It only made him thrust his hips against hers once more, sucking on her pallid neck. "You…don't know me. Don't pretend to know me!" Jiayi wedged a knee between them and shoved him away. She hated that she was panting and kept her eyes averted from his. "I'm leaving…you can't stop me."

"That's fine. I already took my payment." Chase walked around the table to the chair that he had previously occupied, sitting down. Lifting his bowl of soup to his lips, he drank deeply and kept his eyes locked on Jiayi. "I anticipate your return soon." He saw her stand, opening her mouth to argue, but he cut her off. "I did nothing to your food. I just know that you will be back soon. You can't resist coming back now."

"…you think you're that great…?" Jiayi crossed her arms, leaning on one hip and scowling. "Well you know…I have someone that I care deeply about…and I'm not likely to leave him any time soon…so best of luck in your pitiful endeavors."

"Is that a challenge? An invitation?" he taunted.


	6. Chapter 6

A week had passed since the incident and the more Jack thought on it, the worse he felt about taking her to Chase Young for help. True, he had saved her life. She just seemed different since that day. A little more distant. Every so often, Jack caught her biting her thumbnail with an irritated look on her face. It did not suit her and it made him nervous.

He had been able to feel the tension between Jiayi and Chase immediately and it puzzled him. The young woman seemed to have not known the man before Jack introduced them, but there was an instant tension that Chase seemed almost pleased by. When Jack saw them standing next to each other, it made him realize again that she was quite short. She appeared dainty, fragile even, when standing near his idol.

Looking over at her now, he felt his curiosity spike. She had yet to say a word in regards to the events that followed his leaving the room. She had been alone in that room with Chase for what seemed like hours, but he had known to only be minutes. In this moment, they were sitting in the lair. She was reading a small book that she had found on his mother's bookshelf in his parents' room and seemed to have a permanent smirk stuck on her face. "What are you reading anyway? You have this weird look-" Her gaze lifted to meet his and they both blushed.

"It's…a romance novel," Jiayi replied simply.

"You're reading a romance novel?!" Somehow, the thought of an immortal girl reading something like that was comical. At least now he knew why she was blushing. "Is it any good?"

She shrugged. "Well…it has a clichéd plot…boring heroine…boring hero…bland chemistry…but it has more substance and build up than the erotica I found the other day…" At this, her face turned red and she looked back to the novel in her hands. "…you should hide your things better…please."

 _How did I forget to put it away?!_ Jack wanted to face-palm, but forced himself not to. He also wanted to run back to his room and double-check that everything was put away. Instead, he watched her turn the page. She leaned back comfortably in her chair and snickered. _Wait. Which book did she find?_ Suddenly, the thought of her reading something like that made him increasingly uncomfortable. He caught her looking at him briefly and frowned. "Next time you find something like that, don't touch it," he stated, trying to sound aloof.

"…alright…"

To Jack's horror, she dug in the pocket of the hooded sweatshirt he had given her and tossed a book to him. _Why was she holding onto this?! Is she that bored that she's just reading stuff like this? Wait a second._ He looked from the book back to her and saw her shift in the chair, crossing her legs. A thought occurred to him. An amusing thought that was just so comical that it could not possibly be true. Before he could stop himself, he had blurted out, "Are you a virgin?"

Jiayi's face turned a brighter red and she bit her lip for a moment. She tilted her head back, her eyes half-closing. "…so what if I am…? You want to laugh? Go ahead."

"It's just _weird_. You're over a thousand years old. How-?"

"It's just how it is!" she growled. "Look, I just…I fell in love…and he hated me. Then I met Guan. And…you know…he isn't really…"

"You never liked anyone after that?"

 **Shift P.O.V**

She closed her book and narrowed her eyes. He was just curious, but it was annoying her. Since her first love, she rarely felt the same toward anyone. She liked Jack, to a certain extent. She found some men attractive. _Jack is cute in his own way. So is that monk…Raimundo._ For an instant, Chase Young appeared in her thoughts and she shook her head. "It's not _that_ …not exactly. It's just….it would be difficult, you know? I'm not like most people."

"Even without being eternally young, you wouldn't be like most people," he commented.

"So…what about you?" Jiayi ran her fingers through her long, wavy dark hair. "You're asking me…but have you ever…?" She saw him look away and smirked. _I see. The books I found in his room seem to be the only experience he has. Interesting._

Jack glanced toward her for a moment, his curiosity getting the better of him. "You've really never loved another guy after him?"

"…really…though I did distance myself…" With a flicker of amusement in her eyes, she tilted her head. "Jack…have you ever thought of a girl…in that way?" Instantly, his face turned as red as his hair. "…the girl monk…? Or perhaps Wuya?"

"Can we not talk about this?!"

"…you started it…" She stood and his eyes were drawn back to her as she stretched. "You know…you're attractive, Jack." Jiayi heard a sound escape him, similar to a frustrated sigh. "I'm going out for a bit."

"Where are you going? I'll-"

"Put away your book," she stated firmly. The young woman stared him down until he mumbled an agreement and then made her way upstairs. Jiayi had taken to perching on the roof when she wanted to be alone. True, it was out in the open where she could easily be attacked, but she found herself missing being with nature.

She remembered spending many days at a time out in the forest, collecting herbs and roots with Guan for medicines. The memory made her chest feel tight. _I'm not evil_ , she reminded herself as she stared up at the sky. It was cloudy and the wind that blew through her hair smelled of rain. Jiayi smiled as the first droplet hit her cheek and ran down the side of her neck. Bowing her head, she drew her knees to her chest and felt the rain begin to hammer down around her. The sound of it striking the rooftop soothed her in the strangest sort of way.

"Always hidin', aren't you?"

"…leave me alone…" Jiayi scowled at the bird beside her and then narrowed her eyes at the small bean perched on the bird's back. _This is the last person I want to see right now. Wait. Second to last. I forgot about that fool._

"Awww. Now what do you look so down about? Pretty girl like you oughta be smiling."

"Hannibal…I said to leave me alone." She sank her nails into her knees, fighting the urge to run. _But he's right. I am always hiding. Always running. I hate confrontation. Ever since I confronted_ _him_ _…I just can't handle it anymore!_ Her tongue ran over the tips of her sharp canine teeth. "You're not leaving? Answer me this then…if you're so determined to pester me when I'm down. Why did you choose _me_? Surely there were other lovesick girls that you could have used."

"Not all of them craved power the way you did. You made it too easy. Besides, I knew he'd go for a cute little thing like you. How could he resist? Wouldn't surprise me if he-"

"Enough." Jiayi's hair was drenched with rainwater now, but she was unfazed by it. She always had loved rain. The smell of it, the feel of it. His presence was beginning to quickly sour her mood, however. "You do realize…love doesn't work that way. It takes time. Effort."

He chuckled as his bird began to preen itself. "What's this 'love' talk?! You thought I picked you because he'd _love_ you? Just so long as he wants you, I don't care how he feels about you, girl. And you're forgettin' that love takes _two_ people. You oughta know that."

Jiayi gritted her teeth, considering leaping down from the roof. "My…unrequited love has nothing to do with this and you know it." She bit her thumbnail, watching the horizon as the rain continued to fall. When she could stand his company no longer, she finally leapt down and went back into the house. Her hair and clothes were dripping wet, but she knew that getting sick was an impossibility for her so it simply did not matter. She wandered through the house until she found her partner and then stood for a moment, watching him.

Jack was in the middle of digging around beneath his bed for something, his back to her. His entire upper half was hidden at one point, creating a rather silly image. When he felt as though someone was watching him, he bumped his head in his haste to get out from beneath the bed. "Why are you staring like that?" he demanded, rubbing the bruise forming on his temple. He saw her hips swaying side to side, the girl seeming to not realize that she was doing it. Normally, the sight of this would make his heart beat a little faster, but this time was different. Her hair and clothes were soaked, clinging to her curves, and it filled him with a more intense feeling than usual. "Jiayi, what's going on?"

She started toward him, but then froze and crossed her arms. "It's…nothing. Forget it." The girl turned away with the intention to leave, but remained standing in his doorway for a moment. _What was I doing? I was looking for him, but why? Did I plan to tell him that Hannibal Bean is near? He probably knows though. Or Hannibal might have already gone._ Jiayi's amber eyes grew wide when she felt arms tentatively wrap around her from behind. "J-Jack? What are you-?"

"That's what you wanted, right?" He sounded unsure of himself. In fact, he was not entirely certain why he was suddenly holding her this way. It just felt like something that he needed to do. Of course, he had no regrets. Her body felt warm in his hold and she smelled pleasantly like rain. The girl nodded in response to his question, though she was just as unsure as he was. "Jiayi, I love you."

Biting her lip, she shook her head. "Jack…you know it would only bring us both pain…"

"Don't say anything."

 _I can't remember feeling like this before. Not exactly like this. My first love…never held me. And when Chase Young did…it felt different. This feels so…sweet._ Jiayi closed her eyes, her stomach feeling as though it was filled with butterflies. She felt that she should pull away, but wanted to revel in the warmth for another moment. His hips rubbed against the back of hers and she snickered. "…Jack…what are you thinking?"

He immediately released her, putting his hands up. "Sorry! I didn't mean for it to seem like-!" When she turned to him with mischief in her eyes, he blushed. "What? You're not mad?"

"You're peculiar," she announced, leaning up to plant a kiss on his cheek. Jiayi walked past him to the laundry basket, rummaging for clean clothes. She located a clean shirt and underwear, a bit dismayed at her lack of clothing. _I own two outfits and only have one of them with me_ , she thought as she changed. _The other outfit was left in the shack. I'm sure it's gone now though._ A glance at Jack showed that he had been watching and was now blushing vibrantly. Without giving it a second thought, Jiayi fell back onto his bed and stretched her arms over her head, yawning.

Jack cautiously joined her, hoping that he could get around to hiding his reading material later. "Why were you out in the rain anyway?"

"I just…needed some time alone. To think."

"Were you thinking about _him_?" He felt nervous asking the question, dreading the answer. It was to be expected that she would think about her first love, but he still worried.

"Only a little." She gave him an expectant look and was glad when he shifted his arm. Jiayi pressed close against his side, letting him wrap his arm around her. "…I ran into someone while I was on the roof..."

"Is there still someone on the roof?" he asked worriedly.

She half-grinned. "He won't be there if I'm not there. But…new information has come to light. A reason behind my… _condition_. My eternal youth. I was given this gift…so I could act as _bait_. So I could be used to control your 'idol'. I don't know why…he thought it would work. It's ridiculous."

He was frowning now and pulled her closer. "That sounds stupid."

Jiayi released a short laugh, glad when he grinned. "It does…doesn't it?" She shivered, feeling fingers slide beneath the hem of her shirt. "What are you doing?" Her eyes half-closed as fingertips brushed over her scarred side. "Jack…you shouldn't do this…"

"Your skin feels really soft." He yelped when he suddenly found the immortal girl straddling his waist, gripping his shoulders with both hands and staring down at him. "J-Jiayi?!"

She tilted her head and ran the tip of her tongue over her sharp canine teeth. "Jack…I did warn you. Do you even…realize how much pain it would cause?"

"It doesn't have to! Look, I can find a way! I'll become like you and-!"

"No!" Her grip tightened, her eyes taking on the predatory gleam of a feral cat's. "Anything but that…you have no idea…what sort of…"

"Then just let this happen." His heart was racing, eyes meeting hers directly and doing his best to not tremble.

Jiayi stared down at him for a moment longer before leaning down to the side of his neck. "Jack…I would hate for you to suffer…and if we got any closer than this…that's all that would happen. Suffering. I would stay this way while you aged…I would watch you die…it would hurt us both." Her eyes widened when she felt his arms wrap around her waist, holding her in place on top of him. "Jack…? I'll stay by your side…but romance is out of the question…just remember that…"

"Fine." He sounded irritated, but in reality he knew that he should be thankful that she would even stay. He knew that she was the type that would run when things got awkward or difficult. "I'll always be by your side."

She rubbed her cheek against his pale skin and swayed her hips subconsciously. When a sound left him, a sound that closely resembled a groan, she blushed red. _Right…we're awfully close right now, aren't we?_

"What should we do today?" Jack asked, trying to change the subject. Trying to forget that Jiayi was still sitting on his waist and rubbing her face against his neck.

"Hm…I want to go to the Xiaolin Temple."

"What?! Why would you want to go there? We took all of their-" Seeing the guilty look in her eyes when she pulled away, he frowned. "Did you give them back?!"

"…not _all_ of them…but I felt bad for taking them to begin with…" She sat back, staring down at him as he tried to fight off a blush. "Just…it will be fun. I promise." Jiayi waited for him to grudgingly agree to go with her before leaning down to kiss his cheek again. She left him alone on the bed and wandered over to the basket of clothes to rummage for some clean pants.

He watched her, frowning to himself and running his fingers through his bright red hair. Jack wondered if he had somehow been manipulated. Not that he minded, after that close encounter. He sat up and snickered when she pulled on a pair of his pants, securing them with the belt off of her wet jeans. "So what do you have planned anyway?"


	7. Chapter 7

"So what brings you back?"

"Hm? What...you don't want to see me now?" Jiayi closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall, listening to the rain outside. The air was colder than before, but hardly bothered the immortal as she yawned and stretched. "Kimiko. What do you do for fun?"

The girl shrugged, but then realized that with her eyes closed, Jiayi was unable to see this. "I don't know. I have some video games and I talk to my friend on the phone sometimes."

Amber eyes half-opened and fixed upon the girl. She was sitting across the very small room from Jiayi and still seemed confused as to why the immortal had come to visit. Truthfully, Jiayi had wanted to visit so she could find some way to atone for what had happened the previous week. Her last visit had ended with her turning into a large, monstrous cat. _I'm surprised they let me in_ , she thought as she rubbed her exposed upper arms.

"So what are those tattoos? I recognize a few symbols, but what do they mean?" Kimiko had tried to be careful about staring, but the markings were intriguing. They were dark and bold. Hard to look away from, especially when she was sitting so close to the other girl.

"The tattoos…hm. They mean to keep away. That I'm evil…not to be trusted…" Jiayi raised an eyebrow. _So what now? Are you going to run and tell the others? Are you going to glare at me until I get up and walk away? You saw me come in with Jack. You heard what Guan said about me. So why are you still sitting there, staring at me like this?_

Kimiko shrugged again and pulled out her cellphone. "You're reformed. Those don't really apply anymore, right?"

"Is that really what you think? Or are you just putting up a brave front?" Jiayi winced when the phone's camera flashed. It did this a few times and she grimaced at the other girl. "What are you doing?"

"Taking pictures of the symbols. Can you raise your arms a little so I can see the ones on your forearms? And tug down the neck of your shirt. You have markings on your chest, right? How far down do they go?"

Dark hair fell over half of Jiayi's face and she blushed. "…not showing you the ones on my chest…" she muttered.

"So how did you get these? Was it after you met Master Monk Guan?"

"…before…" Jiayi bit her thumbnail as Kimiko typed something into her phone. "I got them before I met him…but not intentionally. They just…sort of… _appeared_. After I drank the soup." She winced again when Kimiko grabbed her wrist and turned it to get a better picture. "…you should be more careful, you know…"

"You wouldn't really hurt anyone. I know you wouldn't. Clay told us what you said, when you were up on the roof. You don't want to be evil. And you're not."

"I'm with Jack."

"So? That doesn't automatically make you evil."

Jiayi wanted desperately to believe her. She wanted to believe that there was no evil present in her. _But I know it isn't true. I feel it sometimes. Wicked impulses._ She stood and left the very small room, but knew that Kimiko would follow. The Japanese girl was still cataloging all of Jiayi's markings.

"What about your scars? Are they from that fight?"

She gave the girl a sad glance over her shoulder. "The scars…were self-inflicted. I tried to tear myself apart when I realized that my plan had failed. Never sacrifice too much for love." Jiayi found the male monks sitting on a veranda, watching the rain. She sat as far from them as possible and stared out at the downpour with a sigh.

"What's up?" Raimundo asked, directing the question at Kimiko.

"We were just talking. Girl talk. You wouldn't understand." She sat beside Jiayi, who flinched away a little. "You should visit more often. I mean, when it's not raining like this."

"Hm. Maybe."

"So what brings you back? You took off with Kimiko as soon as you got here," Clay spoke up. He was still wary of her, not quite able to forget the way she had eyed him like prey from the rooftop.

"I just…I was bored. No other reason." Jiayi tucked her hair behind her ear and frowned. "Where's Jack?"

"I reckon he went off to do whatever he does. He better not go near the shen-gon-wu."

"If he did, we'll just have to throw him out," Raimundo agreed. "So what's up with you and Jack? Are you guys dating or-?"

"No." She drew her knees to her chest, trying to ignore the way the others stared at her. "…dating…it wouldn't be fair to either of us…"

"Because you're on different sides?"

"Master Monk Guan said that you were a great warrior," Omi interrupted. Tired of their boring topics, he was determined to find something interesting. "Jiayi, I challenge you!"

She half-smirked at this and stood, stretching her arms over her head. "Very well. I accept your challenge, but only if it's sparring."

He nodded, grinning at the chance to even spar with someone that Guan had deemed a 'great warrior'. "Yes! I hope you do not mind the rain, Jiayi!"

 **Shift P.O.V**

She truly was a sight to behold. Even in the rain, on slick grass and damp earth, she moved swiftly and struck with accuracy. Of course, it was obvious that she was being careful with Omi. When she sensed that he would not be able to dodge a hit, she swiftly changed its direction so that he could. Her long, dark blue hair clung wetly to her back and neck. Her amber eyes shone like burning coals in her pale face, gleaming with determination and excitement.

He frowned and leaned back against the wall. The rain also made her shirt cling to her chest and it was starting to make this awkward. He started to feel weird about watching their sparring match. Of course, now that he was looking closely, he recognized her shirt. It was Jack's. He was sure that he had seen Jack wear it before. A glance over showed that the boy in question was standing in the rain and cheering for her, just a few feet ahead of the veranda.

Kimiko was recording the match on her cellphone, every so often calling out words of encouragement. Clay was silently observing and when he started to feel weird about watching, he tipped his hat over his eyes. "Maybe they oughta come in out of the rain."

"Maybe someone should pull Jack in out of the rain," Kimiko remarked. As she said this, the redhead sneezed loudly. "Hey, Jack! Your eyeliner is going to run!"

Raimundo crossed his arms and glanced from Jack to Jiayi. The boy in black actually looked their way briefly and, sure enough, his eyeliner was running down his pale cheeks. _If she's not evil, why is she Jack's partner? She isn't like Wuya. Even when she's evil, she's probably different. She seems more mischievous than anything._ He closed his eyes and imagined what she might have looked like when she tried to take over Europe and Asia. Guan had told them the whole story; she had fallen in love and gained immortality so she could carry out a plan to get the man's attention. Who she had fallen in love with remained a mystery to the young monks and they were not about to ask her, for fear of depressing her. He now imagined her standing on a stormy horizon with her long, dark violet hair blowing fiercely in the wind. An evil look in her eyes and lightning flashing across the sky behind her. A wonderful, seductive grin on her face. It made him think of evil things. It made him want to be evil.

Shaking his head, he looked at her again. The sparring match had come to an abrupt halt due to interference from a familiar villain. Omi was standing between Jiayi and Chase Young, a threatening look on his face. The female immortal took a few steps back, glaring at the man. Words were spoken, but the monks were too far to hear what was being said. In the next instant, Jiayi had grabbed Omi's arm and they were standing on the veranda.

 **Shift P.O.V**

"I need to go…I'm sorry." Jiayi glanced back at Chase. He was still there, standing in the rain and observing them. _I can't bring Jack with me. He won't be able to keep up. I just need to be faster than Chase and I should be able to get away. I just had the soup last week so I should be fast enough._ Her eyes went to Jack and she offered a half-smile of reassurance. "Jack…I'll be back for you, alright? Stay here." She turned toward the others now. "Keep him safe…and I'll reward you. Understand?" They nodded their agreement, albeit with reluctance.

"Just lose him and come back here," Raimundo suggested.

"It's…going to take some time." She turned toward the rainy outdoors and frowned. As much as she loved the rain in her human shape, she hated to get the fur of her beast form wet. _It feels gross. Not the least bit refreshing_ , she thought as she changed shape. As always, it made her bones initially ache to shift into a large cat body. A quick bit of stretching always cleared this up and soon Jiayi was racing toward Chase through the rain.

He smirked and followed suit, changing forms as she lunged at him with her fangs bared. The two rolled over the wet earth and grass, the girl ending up on top of him and snarling once before racing off into the forest. She could hear him behind her. Feel him behind her. Even as she gained speed, he seemed to be keeping pace rather well. It irritated her. Turning swiftly, she hurled herself at the large reptilian beast. Her body shifted forms once more, the girl settling on top of him and glaring down with her hand on his throat. "Just… _what_ do you want? Why are you here? Did you _follow_ me?" she demanded in a low tone.

"Do you think this is the first time?" he taunted. "Why did you come here today? Do you think it's where you belong? Do you think you're one of them? That they will accept you?"

"They're my _friends_!" Jiayi roared, pressing harder on his throat.

"Do you really believe that? Do you know what they really think of you?"

She leaned down, bringing her face within inches of his. "If you believe…that I'm anything like _you_ …you are mistaken!" Her sharp nails sank into his skin shallowly. A hand gripped the back of her neck and sharply yanked her body closer against his.

Chase wore a mocking sort of expression as he stared up at her. The young woman's face was quickly changing from pale to pink at their close proximity. "We belong together. I think you're aware of it. I think you're just afraid of what might happen if you embrace your true evil potential." He gave another sharp tug and brought her mouth against his.

Jiayi struggled in his grip, but could not break free. She parted her lips and sank her teeth into his bottom lip as hard as she could. He released her and a drop of his blood fell onto his cheek from her lips. "How… _dare_ you?!" She pressed harder on his throat, but it had no real impact. He chuckled beneath her and she growled lowly. "If I wanted to end you-!"

"You couldn't." A hand lifted, fingers running through her damp hair briefly before he wrapped both arms around her and turned them so that he was on top. Her amber eyes went wide and she snarled once more when his grip went to her wrist, pinning her down with his body. "Even if you _could_ , why would you want to?" Chase's long, dark hair brushed her shoulders when he leaned down to her face. "How many others are there? Others like us. Others that will stay live forever. Did you intend to spend forever with that insect Jack? Spend the rest of eternity with his bones after watching him die?"

"I never said-!" She grunted in discomfort, both of her wrists suddenly being held down over her head. Jiayi gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to snap at his face. He was watching her, amusement clear in his gaze. "I…would rather spend eternity _alone_ …than with someone like you." The girl flipped them over once more, but he kept a tight hold on her wrists. Sitting on his waist, she glared down at him with the ferocity of a thousand lions. "Chase Young…the arrogant…the fool…the self-entitled _sociopath_ …" To her further irritation, he smirked at this description. "You…really have no sense of integrity, do you? For what purpose did you join the Heylin side?"

"The same reason as you. We both craved power." He pulled her wrists down, forcing her hands onto the chest piece of his armor. "Admit it. We belong together. You know that this is true. Just imagine the beautiful evil that we could inflict upon this world. With you ruling at my side, it could be magnificent."

"I'm _not_ evil." Jiayi tugged at her wrists, but knew it was futile at this point. He was holding tightly and would not let go until he wished to. "You do realize…even if I was evil…even if I did…give in to such urges…I have no obligation to you." She bit the inside of her cheek, the taste of her own blood mingling with the lingering taste of his as he leaned up to her neck. _What is he doing?! Why is he doing this? It's Guan's fault for drawing attention to me!_

"I beg to differ." Chase drew closer and then froze. He pulled away with a look of disgust. "You smell like that insect Jack. Just how close are you with him?"

Her heart was already racing and now she smirked up at him. "Oh…you couldn't guess on your own…? Jack and I…are partners. More than partners, almost." Jiayi felt his grip on her wrists loosen and she pulled back enough to sit on the damp ground. Rain still fell around them, soaking the man's hair. "These clothes…Jack loaned them to me…" She stood as he did and crossed her arms over her chest. "So…? What now? Do I _disgust_ you?"

"What makes you think that I would be deterred by something so insignificant?" He gripped her upper arm and tugged her toward him. "You do realize what will happen to him now? What will happen to him if he gets closer to you?" His voice was low, threatening.

Jiayi tilted her head and smirked as he did. "What makes you…think that I will let you near him? Jack pledged his loyalty to me. Do you know what the means? He belongs to me. Jack Spicer…is _my_ human. If you harm him…in any way at all…I will make you wish that you had never even looked in my direction." She could feel her internal evil spiking with these words, her hips swaying subconsciously as she watched Chase.

"You think that his loyalty will remain? If I asked for him to betray you, he would do it without a second thought. You seem to forget that he idolizes me. While you question your true evil nature, Jack knows what side he belongs on." He pulled her closer now and his smirk grew. "He knows who his _master_ is. Now if _you_ could just learn, then perhaps things would go easier for you. Jiayi." The man released her and stepped back. "I dare you to question his loyalty. Listen to his lies. In time, I promise you that you will embrace your true nature and abandon any ambition to be 'good'."

She took several steps back, her eyes not leaving him as rage filled her. "Jack would never betray me. This I can promise you."


	8. Chapter 8

There were certain things that would be better left forgotten. Moments in time where she might have embarrassed herself, moments of loss, moments of rejection. As much as she wished to forget, the past 1,500 years had done nothing to fade these memories from her mind. Leaning back in the bath, she let the water close over her head for a moment. The warmth enveloped her and she wished that she could stay like that forever, but knew better. Resurfacing, she took a deep breath and sighed. _I'm not evil_ , she reminded herself.

The memory that was plaguing her now was one of her worst moments. It had been brought to the front of her thoughts by Kimiko's questions regarding her scars and tattoos. Jiayi leaned back against the tub's smooth surface, the hot water of the bath seeming to cradle her. _It's worse than usual. In the past, I could think of it and be over it soon. But that girl. That little witch!_ She clenched her hand into a fist and closed her eyes. "No…she isn't bad. She didn't know what sort of impact her words would have."

Standing at the edge of a burning grass field, Jiayi had faced him. She was battered from their fight, but determined to make him look at her. If he would just talk to her, then perhaps everything would turn out alright. Behind the girl, villages and fields of crops were ablaze. Behind him, the world was still blue and green, peaceful. Alive. She had shouted, screamed at him to look at her as he spoke. Her words fell upon deaf ears. He told her that there was no chance, that she was simply power-hungry. She was obsessive and wicked. Jiayi had fallen to her knees as he began to walk away, without sparing her a glance for even a second.

Her love for him was not without a reason. She greatly admired his strength and kindness. His easygoing nature. His smile. She loved when he smiled. Though it was never directed at her. Not even once. Rain began to fall and the fires were doused. Jiayi fell to her knees in the mud and ruins, tears mingling with raindrops as guilt tore into her. The girl, in her immense pain and sense of powerlessness, gouged at her own flesh in an effort to end it. Tried desperately to end her life the only way she could think of in that moment. When she lay bloody and sobbing on the muddy earth, a warm hand found her shoulder and offered reassurance that she had purpose.

The kind face that looked down upon her was not her love, but someone else. He helped her to shelter, tended to her wounds, and taught her how to forage and make medicines that could heal almost any ailment. More than anything, he offered her hope for the future. Hope for reform. When she was at her absolute worst, he had still seen that she had benevolence in her.

Jiayi felt something wet trail down her cheek and she frowned. Wiping at her eyes, she sighed again. "Enough of this…I need a distraction." She dried her long dark hair and combed out the tangles, standing before the bathroom mirror. The tattoos on her arms and chest were not quite what Kimiko thought they were. They more closely resembled scars than tattoos; deep etchings in Jiayi's pale flesh. Touching one on her shoulder, she raised an eyebrow. _It feels strange. Really strange._

"Hey, are you almost done?"

"…almost…" She opened the bathroom door and leaned against the doorway, crossing her arms. "Jack…I have a question. Where does your loyalty lie?"

"What? Why are you asking that?" He frowned and tried to ignore the fact that his cheeks were turning pink. Jiayi was standing there in black underwear and a loose t-shirt that he had loaned her. "You think I'd betray you?"

The girl tilted her head and started toward him, her hips swaying. "Should I be worried?"

Jack, using every ounce of courage, met her halfway across the room and stood with just inches between them. "I wouldn't betray you. We're partners. Besides, you scare me." With that, he stepped around her into the bathroom and closed the door.

Jiayi heard the shower start and smirked. _What was that? He was suddenly really brave. Why can't he be like that more often? And that last bit sort of ruined it._ She flopped onto his bed and stretched her arms over her head. Her bright amber eyes were drawn to a website that he had pulled up on the laptop lying next to her. _What's this…? Oh! Well, these are some nice clothes._ A glance down at the t-shirt she had borrowed from Jack made her frown. _I could use some new clothes…_

"Don't _you_ look content?"

The girl scowled and glanced up, finding an annoying female figure standing in the bedroom doorway. "This is _my_ territory," she snarled. "Get out now before I throw you out, Wuya." Jiayi shifted off of the bed and turned her back on the woman, searching for a pair of pants. Her jeans were dry by this point so she settled on those. _I didn't even sense her! What's wrong with me lately?_

"I saw you with Chase today. You were rolling around on the ground with him like-!"

"There…is _nothing_ between me and Chase Young!" Jiayi growled as she turned to Wuya.

The redhead raised an eyebrow, leaning on one hip. "Is that really what you think? Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I don't know why you became this way?"

"What? Living with a mortal young man…wearing his hand-me-downs?"

"You know what I'm talking about! You were made this way for him and you know it, Jiayi Xun!" She started toward the girl and then paused, smirking. "You still haven't realized it, have you? You realize you're _cursed_ , don't you?"

"What are you talking about?" Jiayi gathered her long, dark blue hair into a ponytail and tied it in place. "Just…what sort of curse are you referring to? Did you place a curse on me?"

"If I wanted to curse you, I would tell you as soon as I did it. I don't think I can now anyway. Maybe before you turned, but not now." She was suddenly right in front of Jiayi, gripping her chin and staring down into the girl's amber eyes. "You've been cursed since birth, haven't you? Cursed to draw people to you, but never the ones you love. Isn't that why he never loved you? Isn't that why your parents-?"

"My parents loved me! Don't make up lies to justify your…creepy obsession and these stupid fantasies!" She tried to pull free, her hips swaying back and forth in agitation like a cat's tail when they have been toyed with for too long. Just before they strike.

Wuya smirked and released her. "You really don't care about Chase Young?"

"Not in the least. To me, he's lower than an insect." She grimaced, realizing that she sounded very much like him in that moment. _When is Jack going to be done in there? The sooner he comes out, the sooner she'll leave. Hopefully._

"I see." The witch's smirk grew. "I see perfectly now. I suppose I should have seen it sooner. You're the perfect seductress because you don't even realize you're trying to seduce him! It's unintentional!" Wuya cackled, ignoring how Jiayi winced at the harsh sound. "So? Just how desperate have you made Jack?"

"I will destroy you," Jiayi threatened, taking a step closer. She hated that she had to stand on the tips of her toes, just to be on eye-level with the witch. "Wuya…I will tear off all of your limbs…and scatter them around the world like shen-gon-wu. Now is _that_ what you want? Because if it is…go ahead and keep talking." She reveled in the look of absolute horror in the woman's eyes. Taking another step closer, she watched Wuya nearly trip over her own feet to step away from her. Jiayi tilted her head and licked her lips. "So…? What's it going to be?"

The redhead was gone quickly, leaving Jiayi alone in the bedroom. She glanced to the computer again and clicked over a few items before making her way to the kitchen in search of food. _What if she's right though? What if I really am cursed? But that doesn't make sense. I like Jack. And Jack said that he loves me. He_ _does_ _…doesn't he? Why would he lie? But men do lie. I saw it when I was younger. When I was mortal. Boys from the village would lie all the time to get girls to do what they wanted._ Jiayi perched on the counter and stared out at the rain. It reminded her of that one fantastically horrible day she had encountered so many centuries ago. She normally liked the rain. It often brought her comfort. With the memory so fresh in her mind, it only served as a painful reminder of her defeat.

She sat silently for a long time, listening to the rain hit the window and the gentle ticking of the kitchen clock. When she felt that she was being watched, she opened her eyes and met a pair of red ones from across the room. "…Jack…how long have you been standing there…?"

He scratched the back of his neck, looking a little awkward. "Not long. Uh…I ordered that stuff that you clicked on. Did you want anything else?" Jack saw her shrug. "I ordered some other stuff for you, too. Same sizes." Now the immortal nodded. "Did I hear Wuya earlier?"

"She came by to harass me about your 'idol'." Jiayi stretched, hearing her back pop pleasantly. A half-grin formed on her face as she hopped down from the counter. "She said that I'm…unintentionally seducing him…can you believe that?" A short laugh escaped her.

"Actually, yeah. I can believe that."

"Hm? What are you talking about, Jack?"

"You're swaying your hips again. You don't even notice when you do it, do you?" Jiayi shook her head and Jack smirked. "It's not even just swaying your hips. You just have this weird effect on guys." He took a few steps toward her, his heart skipping a beat when she tilted her head. He was trying to act confident, forcing forth every little bit of courage that he had in him. She was both beautiful and terrifying at the same time as she watched him with those sharp amber eyes. Her light pink lips curled into a smirk as well and she raised an eyebrow. "You're doing it right now."

"…doing _what_ , exactly…?" Jiayi was surprised when he closed the distance between them, suddenly staring down at the young woman. Strangely enough, she felt her heart beat faster in her chest. Chase had a similar effect on her, but it was mostly fear that she felt when he came close. With Jack so close to her now, she felt a fluttery feeling in her stomach as well as the pounding of her heart. _What is he doing? He's usually so…timid._

His smirk seemed to grow and he leaned in closer. Jiayi, mildly unsettled by this sudden change, leaned back a little. The counter dug into the small of her back and she winced when he planted a hand on the counter to either side of her, effectively trapping her in place. "So do you feel like that sometimes? You feel what other girls feel, right?"

She bit her lip and looked away, annoyed with how she was feeling. _Why is my heart racing like this? I'm over a thousand years old! I shouldn't be blushing like some lovesick little girl!_ Turning her gaze back to him, she stuck out her tongue. "What? You…think I'm some sort of freak now…? And just what…sort of feelings are referring to?" The girl sensed his next action, thankfully, and had time to react. Though her reaction was a bit uncomfortable and awkward for both of them. When he moved to step closer so that they pressed against each other, she quickly moved to slip an arm between them. However, her hand ended up lower than anticipated and when he stepped closer, her palm pressed against something that made him groan quietly and half-close his bright crimson eyes. Her face turned red and she turned her head to the side. "Jack…that was an accident."

"Your hand is still there." The young man was trying to ignore the feeling of her hand against him, but it was proving extremely difficult. Especially when she shyly bit her lip and looked away. Subconsciously, his hips thrust forward against her hand and he blushed pink. "Sorry."

"You…seem to be enjoying it. You realize you could step back and-?" She felt one of his hands gently grasp her wrist and move her hand a little. _What is he doing? Why is it…getting harder?!_ Her eyes met his and she felt as if her heart would hammer out of her chest. "Jack…why are you looking at me like that…?" Jiayi forced herself to sound brave, but she was panicking on the inside. _I've never been this close to a man! What do I do? And he's rubbing himself with my hand! And he keeps making that groaning sound, but his face says that he's enjoying it! What should I do?!_ Her free hand gripped the front of his shirt tightly and she half-closed her eyes before pressing her other hand harder against the front of his pants. "Jack…you like this?"

He hissed quietly, feeling her fingertips press harder. Imagining what it would feel like without those layers of cloth between her skin and his seemed to be taking all of his current brainpower. His heart was beating faster than he ever remembered it beating before. When she looked at him with those half-closed amber eyes, he felt his adolescent lust intensify almost unbearably. "You haven't done this before, right?" Very carefully, he pulled her hand away and pressed his hips forward against hers. Jiayi's gaze turned from confusion and trepidation to something else. Something that only served to further fuel what he was feeling. When he cautiously moved to grind against her, she released a soft gasp that nearly threw him over the edge. Jack's hands went to her hips, holding her in place while her arms went around his neck. "Do you like this?"

"Ngh…we shouldn't do this," Jiayi whispered. "I told you before…if we…"

"Just once won't hurt. I know you want to try it at least once," he teased her, smirking. His pale hands slipped down her hips to the back of her thighs and lifted her so her legs were forced to wrap around his waist. "Come on. Let me pop your immortal cherry."

Jiayi snickered and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "Cherry, you say? Such a cute way of saying it…aaaah~" She felt him grind between her legs and gritted her teeth to keep from making other such noises. "Jack…I'm serious. This can only have negative consequences."

He pulled away from the countertop, keeping a tight hold on her, and turned to press her against the wall. "I can deal with it," he replied simply. Pale fingers ran up the back of her shirt, making her back arch at the sensation. He felt her lips on his neck and tensed, half afraid that she might bite him. Jack was pleasantly surprised when she pressed soft kisses rather than leaving harsh bites. The young man groaned in pleasure when he felt her hips meet his, grinding back now. "You want this, right?"

"I'm…not sure. I can't say for sure what will happen…if we do this…" Jiayi leaned back against the wall and met his gaze. "Jack…how do you feel about me?"

The redhead seemed almost offended. "I love you! I told you that! I'll always be loyal to you and I'll always be at your side," he assured her, glad when she latched onto his neck again. "So do you want this? It's getting hard for me to keep standing like this."

 _He says that he loves me. I really do like him. He's sweet. He respects my rules. He isn't like most men that I've encountered in the past._ Jiayi threaded her fingers into his bright red hair and grinned up at him. "Yes. I want this, Jack. And I swear…I will protect you if any danger comes your way…"


	9. Chapter 9

"If she isn't evil, why is she hanging out with Jack Spicer?" The question had to be asked. Kimiko had a feeling that everyone had been wondering this for a while. A few weeks had passed and there had been few visits from Jiayi, but when she did visit she brought gifts and seemed to be on her best behavior. She seemed to be making a conscious attempt at keeping her mischievous nature tamed when she was around them.

"I don't know. Maybe she likes him?"

There was doubt written on everyone's face when this was said. "Do they have anything in common?" Kimiko frowned when it became evident that no one would answer. "Maybe we should ask her to join us. I mean, didn't Master Monk Guan say that she lived alone for a really long time? What if she just wants someone to be around?"

"Do you think she would join us?" Omi asked, sounding hopeful. He had grown closer to Jiayi through their sparring and through the lessons she had been giving him about plants.

"She might, if she really wants to be good," Clay spoke up. "I reckon Kimiko has a point. Jiayi might just be lonely and want someone to be around. If we asked her, she might join us."

There was a pause. The four of them were sitting outside, enjoying the nice weather. "Don't you think that maybe they're getting closer? When she visited last time, it seemed like there was something different. What if she really does like him? I can't imagine _why_ , but…?"

"Why are we even talking about this?" Raimundo asked, quickly growing bored. "Look, we'll ask her to join us the next time she comes to visit. I'm sure she'll say yes."

"What if she never comes back?" Omi pointed out.

Kimiko held up her phone, grinning. "I have her number. If it comes to it, we can always track her. I don't think that she would ignore me if I called though."

Staring up at the cloudless blue sky, Raimundo frowned. _What if she does like him? I've seen the way he looks at her when they visit. She always brings him, too. How does a guy like Jack get a girl like Jiayi? She's immortal. She's powerful. She's beautiful. So how does someone like him manage to get a girl like her?_ The sunlight felt nice against his face and a cool breeze blew around him. He remembered that evil, feral look she had worn that day in the rain when Chase had appeared. To get a girl like Jiayi, you would have to do something impressive, right?

 **Shift P.O.V**

She was sitting on the couch in the living room, quietly watching a television show. A few weeks had passed since that first intimate night with her partner and they had done it a few more times since then. Despite this, and them growing closer, the two knew that they needed time to themselves. Her partner was currently in the basement and Jiayi was indulging in a true crime show that always made Jack cringe. She half-smirked and drew a piece of candy from the bag at her side, pausing to admire her new fingerless gloves. They were black, but had white cat faces on the tops and a paw-like marking on the palm.

"What are you watching?"

Jiayi tipped her head back and looked at Jack upside-down, grinning. "Hm…just some true crime. Want to watch with me?"

The redhead shivered. "You know I hate those."

"So…? What brings you to _my_ domain?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

"I have to get some supplies."

"For…?" Jiayi shifted her body to look at him correctly and tilted her head.

"Robots. I haven't been working on them as much as I wanted to and now I need some new parts." He saw her mouth open to ask a question and he frowned. "No, I just want to go alone. Don't worry; I'll be right back."

"Really~?" She stared at him intently and finally smirked. "Well…alright then. Just be careful, Jack." Jiayi got up from the couch and kissed his cheek, her heart fluttering when she pulled away. Now left alone in the house, she grimaced. _What should I do now? This show will be over soon._ She ran her pale fingers through her long, dark blue hair and sighed. The only sound in the house was the television. Her eyes closed and she felt the presence instantly. _Another immortal. How nice, to just drop in for a visit unannounced._ Jiayi twisted sharply to avoid the newcomer's grasp and smirked once more as she crouched near the wall. Her eyes snapped open, meeting a familiar stare, and she tilted her head. "You…it's only been a few weeks. Am I really…that _addictive_?" Her hips swayed, heart racing in excitement and panic.

He smirked back at her, the hand that had reached for her curling into a fist. "Xun. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Her body moved closer to the floor, amusement filling her amber eyes. "Chase Young. If I remember correctly…your intention was to turn my human partner against me. Did you realize that it was impossible or…have you simply lost your patience?"

The man looked her up and down, his smirk growing. "What are you wearing?"

Jiayi frowned. She was wearing a short black and purple plaid skirt and a black t-shirt with mesh sleeves. It was something that Jack had ordered for her online and said that she looked great in. Realizing how this looked in a crouched position, she contemplated standing up straight. Instead, she decided to taunt him. "Hm? Clearly…you don't keep up to date on fashion."

He raised an eyebrow, but maintained a look of amusement. "You're trying to blend in. Why? Do you really think that you can fit in with them?"

She rose now, straightening her back. "…nothing wrong with wanting to belong…"

"You know that you don't belong with them." Chase was suddenly right in front of her, gripping both of her shoulders tightly. "Why should you work so hard to be something that you're not? That parasite says that he loves you now and claims to be devoted to you, but do you really think that he will keep that up as long as you fight your true nature?"

Her eyes met his, full of defiance. "And…what do _you_ know of my true nature?"

The look on his face filled her with terror as it drew close to hers. "I have witnessed your true power. I have _seen_ your true nature. It took a while for me to remember. It was such a small, seemingly _insignificant_ moment in the past and so much has happened since to overshadow it."

"Really…? You were there…and you _saw_ me?" Jiayi leaned in closer, putting very little space between her face and his. "Because…I don't remember you at all." A muscle beneath his eye twitched and she grinned. "Isn't that funny?" She felt his grip on her shoulders tighten, but she refused to show any signs of pain or fear. Her hips began to sway in agitation as she stared up into his eyes. "Chase…what do you hope to accomplish…by coming here?"

He pushed his hips tightly against hers, pinning them against the wall. "I intend to take what belongs to me."

"Hm. You know…Jack never mentioned that you had such a great sense of humor." She snickered, even as he pulled her away from the wall to slam her back against it. Jiayi could feel his frustration in the way he gripped her shoulders and pressed his body tautly against hers. "Ngh! You do realize…even if you're this close…you can't feel anything through that armor."

"So do you want to feel-?"

"Never said that I did." The girl grimaced, suddenly aware of the sensation of him pressing between her legs. _Don't get distracted! I need to get him out of here before Jack returns! I can't let Jack get hurt and I know that Chase would use him to get to me!_ Jiayi gritted her teeth, ideas rushing through her mind until she settled on one. Carefully, she lifted her right leg and wrapped it around his waist. Her left leg followed and a low growl of pleasure emanated from him, feeling her legs around him and pressing snugly against her warmth. When his face moved to the soft area between her neck and shoulder, she seized the chance she had been hoping for.

Chase felt her small hands thread into his hair and tangle there, her nails lightly scraping over his scalp. He felt her ankles lock behind him and smirked against her skin. "You think that you can hurt me?" The man stepped back a little and slammed her against the wall a second time. He hated that she was right; with his armor on, he was unable to fully enjoy their close proximity. She pulled at his hair and he growled again, thrusting his hips against hers. The girl sent chills down his spine in a pleasant way that he had never felt before. From the way that she looked, the way that she smelled, the way that she smirked and swayed her hips, it all began to consume his thoughts. When the knowledge was leaked to him that she was meant to be his, it had been decided that he would have her. One way or another. As long as it took. Their fates were bound for eternity.

Jiayi tugged at his hair, growling back at him. "You think…that I can't hurt you?" She could feel his hands shifting from her shoulders to her upper back, keeping her chest pressed to his. "I can hurt you…in ways that your arrogant, sociopathic mind could never _dream_!" Her body twisted sharply, threatening to knock them both to the floor, but he steadied himself against the wall, his back to it now. The girl's pale pink lips brushed his ear as she leaned down to hiss, "You look _weak_ …with me pinning you to the wall…"

"You forget who has control." He sent the girl sprawling onto the floor, the corner of his mouth lifting when he saw her twist into a crouched position. In this moment, she looked both fierce and beautiful. Painfully so. Chase watched her hips sway as she stared up at him, wary of his every movement. "There's no denying that you enjoyed that as much as I did."

She snickered again. "As if you felt anything through that armor." Jiayi glanced at a clock and was glad to see that only ten minutes had passed since Jack left. _Ten minutes of this arrogant fool grinding against me. I need to get him out of here and soon!_ Tilting her head, she slowly let a half-grin creep onto her face. "So let me ask. Why would you need _me_ …when you have a doting groupie like _Wuya_? She's a witch, isn't she? Just as powerful, if you ask me. Not to mention taller than me…curvier than me…and she has a ridiculous crush on you. If you just appreciate her…there's no work for you. Not really."

"You said it yourself. She presents no challenge. Putting forth the effort makes it just that much more enjoyable when I finally get what I want," he replied. Chase crossed his arms, meeting her stare with a calculating gaze. If she moved to run, he could probably catch her. Or at the very least keep pace with her. She was rather fast. Satisfied that he could most likely catch her if she ran, he took a step toward the girl. "Besides, she isn't my type."

Jiayi snorted. "Type, hm? Hard to believe…that someone like _you_ would even have a type. Just someone that would worship you, then? Or do you prefer them just slightly more complex?" she taunted.

"I like a challenge." His eyes seemed to ignite as he took another step forward. "I like someone that will entertain me and keep pace. I like someone that perplexes me. I-"

"You like cats," she interrupted. She remembered hearing from Omi and the other monks that Chase Young turned his fallen opponents into cats and now it made her want to laugh. "What? So…you have a cat fetish or something? You want to see me with cat ears…a pin-on cat tail…and wear a cute collar with a bow and a little bell? Is that it?" To her irritation, his smirk grew. _Is he serious?! Is that really what he's into?_

"As much as that would please me, I'm sure that it can wait." He paused for a moment and watched every muscle in her body tense. It was sheer luck that he moved faster than her. In one swift movement, he grabbed the front of her shirt and pushed her against the wall. One hand planted firmly on her sternum and the other went beneath her left knee, pulling her leg up around his waist. "You really shouldn't taunt me. I'm not weak like your little follower is. I'm not afraid to claim what I want." His hand slid along her leg and beneath the hem of her skirt. The girl's body jolted violently when his covered fingertips ran over the bottom of her thigh.

 _What is he doing?! Does he really think that he can get away with-?_ Her head was thrown back, a strangled sort of cry leaving her as the tips of his fingers touched a sensitive area. "Ngh! Wh-what do you…think you're doing?" she demanded, gritting her teeth.

"You make such interesting faces when you feel pleasure." He pressed against the spot and felt her body tense. "What would you do if he came back right now and saw this?"

"Sh-shut up!"

"I wonder what he would think if he saw you like this." Chase shifted the bit of fabric that separated his clothed fingers from her skin and pushed two fingertips into her warm opening. He could feel the heat and it made him tense as she had. There was a horrible, painful sort of desire within him that had been growing each time he saw her. Now it was almost strong enough to consume him. To make him take action and claim her right then. This was not where he wanted it to happen though. The thought of Jack walking in on them made it even less appealing.

Jiayi's hands went to his hair, tangling in the long black locks as he pushed deeper into her. Amber eyes closed and she bit her lower lip. _Don't make a sound! Don't let him know-!_

"This feels good, doesn't it? I can feel you tensing up," he taunted.

"I…will _destroy_ you," she murmured beside his ear. "Do you hear me, Chase Young? I will tear apart your body, soul, and mind…and I won't shed a tear for your pain. Ngh!" Her forehead pressed against his armored shoulder, feeling him pull out slightly and push his fingers back in. There was a slow rhythm at the beginning, but it quickly escalated. Her hips pressed back against the wall, her nails digging into his scalp and drawing blood as he pumped his fingers in and out of her. His eyes locked onto hers as he smirked, watching every expression that she made. Every emotion that flickered in her sharp, fiery gaze. She closed her eyes soon and felt his blood run warmly down her fingers. _This doesn't even hurt him! It's like he…likes it. Could he be one of those people that…likes getting hurt?_

Jiayi felt her mind wander to Jack and her rage ignited. With a quick twist of her body, she tore out of Chase's hold and crossed the living room. He was still watching her and, making sure that she was looking at him, held up his hand. "You enjoyed it, didn't you? Having someone touch you. Someone that knows what they're doing. Someone that truly wants you and understands you. No one else you ever encounter will understand you the way that I do. We are two of a kind, Xun." Seeing that she was in no mood to speak with him further, he smirked and turned as if to leave. "One month, isn't it? That's how long I can take it before I need to feed again. I would say you have another week. Maybe two. Perhaps when you show up for dinner, you won't wear something so ridiculously ordinary."


	10. Chapter 10

**NeonHorizon: I want to send out a quick thank-you to Mikikitty and SarahAidaJ for letting me know about the mistake I made when I uploaded the last chapter. If not for them, the wrong chapter would have been up for who knows how long and I'm sure everyone would be pretty confused. Thank you!**

"Don't you think Jiayi's a little _intense_ today?" The blonde young man tipped his hat back a bit, watching her spar with Omi in the distance. They always stayed a good distance from the temple buildings so that Jiayi would not have an unfair advantage. She feared that she would leap onto a roof without thinking about it, leaving Omi on the ground. When she arrived, she seemed to be in a strange sort of mood and now she was sparring with Omi fiercely.

Kimiko yawned and checked her phone for social media updates. "I guess? She's been acting anxious all day."

"What do you think it is? Think something's wrong with her?" Clay persisted. He did not want to say it, but the thought of her returning to the Heylin side had been bothering him lately. If she was evil once, she could always become evil again. So far, she showed no signs of actual evil. Just her usual mischief and a recently developed unsettling grin.

"Maybe she just feels energized."

"Maybe she's _bored_." This answer came from Raimundo, who was watching the fight closely. As they had said, Jiayi did seem to be moving differently. There was a ferocity behind her every move and she snarled every so often when Omi would dodge her attacks.

"What's that supposed to mean? She has stuff that she does," Jack argued from his seat. He hated going to the temple for these socializing visits, but had a bad feeling about letting Jiayi go by herself. Not so much a possessiveness, but a dread that something terrible might happen.

Jiayi heard all of this being said and scowled. _It's none of their business. What are they thinking? That I'm turning evil?_ She dodged a kick from Omi and lunged in with a strike that accidentally connected and sent him skidding across the ground. To her horror, she saw a clawed paw attached to her wrist in place of her hand. The girl blinked and saw that it remained. Shaking her arm violently for a moment, she began to panic. _What's happening?! No! No, no, no! I don't need it! I can handle it!_

"Are you alright? You are being more aggressive than usual," Omi remarked curiously. He ran toward her and his eyes went wide when he saw the clawed paw that she was clutching to her chest. "Jiayi?!"

"Don't…don't look at me! Not right now!" She turned away, putting her back to him as well as the others. _Get ahold of yourself! If they see this, they'll think you're turning evil! Don't let them see…don't let them see…_ Jiayi felt the bones shifting in her hand and looked down to find that it was back to normal. "Alright…I'm alright…sorry, Omi."

"Are you sure that you are alright?"

She turned to him with a half-smile. "I'm fine…sorry to scare you like that. Maybe we should quit sparring for the day."

He nodded his agreement and frowned slightly. "Teach me about the best plants for medicines, Jiayi."

"The best?" She snorted. "The best for what medicines? What are you trying to cure?"

"Everything!"

 _He's certainly ambitious. It's admirable, really._ She gave him a full smile, but it was a small one. "Alright…I guess we can go over various ones. What do you want to learn about first?" Jiayi started to walk with him, hearing Jack run to catch up. She was explaining the proper way to make a medicinal wound paste when she felt Jack's hand grab hers. Color rushed to her pale cheeks and she half-grinned. _He's so sweet…_

"You know so many ways to cure wounds!" Omi finally exclaimed. "You learned all of this from Master Monk Guan?"

The girl shrugged. "I guess…most of it. Whenever I can get a book or a scroll on medicines…I try to read as much as I can and remember it."

"And why are you with Jack Spicer?"

She glanced at Jack, who looked a little annoyed at the question. "…I like him…"

Omi frowned and tucked his hands into his sleeves. "You should be with Master Monk Guan. He speaks so highly of you and you would be stronger together. Jack is weak and evil."

"I'm not weak!"

"He's strong in his own way…" Jiayi's smile was faltering. _But he is evil, isn't he? Jack sometimes talks about taking over the world with me at his side. I don't want that. I never want to see the world around me burn the way it did that day…_ She changed the subject quickly and began to tell Omi about different types of tea for curing different ailments and how best to brew it. Jack was bored by this, but pretended to listen and kept pace with them as they walked and she pointed out plants at the forest's edge.

When they went back to where the others were sitting, she took a seat somewhat far from the others and examined her hand. At the back of her mind, Jiayi knew what she had to do. She needed the Lao Mang Lone Soup. Without it, she would be weakened and have less control over her beastly form. Sitting beside Jack, she sighed and ran her hand through her long, dark blue hair. _I don't want to see Chase Young. I refuse to ask for his help this time. But I need to get some before he attacks again. He knows now. He knows that if he hurts me badly enough when I've gone this long without the soup, I'm almost doomed._ She sensed a fellow immortal approaching and quickly looked over at the others.

"Master Monk Guan, we were not expecting you! Have you come to see Jiayi?" Omi greeted the man.

"Yes. I would like to speak with Jiayi for a while, if she isn't busy." He smiled in her direction and she sighed again. "Jiayi? What are you wearing?"

Her face turned pink and she let hair fall over half of her face. "I mean…it's fashionable. It looks nice, doesn't it? Do I look…cool?"

His brow furrowed. "I would not know, but it makes you look evil."

Jiayi grimace and stood, quickly making her way over to the man. "This…is the style right now. With teenagers." They began to walk away from the young monks, wanting to put them out of earshot. On this day, Jiayi was wearing a pair of tight-fitting black jeans that had buckles on the thighs as well as a black shirt with long sleeves and holes cut out for her thumbs. The shoes she had taken to wear were black boots that laced up to her knee. _I guess maybe I do look a little villainous. Like Jack. But I like this style. Kimiko said that I look cool. And Jack likes when I wear stuff like this._

"There was nothing wrong with the clothes you wore before. They were far less dark. And you are aware that you are not a teenager. You cannot hope to be on equal terms with the young monks simply because you dress their age."

"…I _look_ like a teenager…I might as well _dress_ like one," she retorted, almost bitterly. "Saying that I can't blend in…it's something that Chase Young says every time he sees me."

"That is what I wanted to speak with you about. I understand that he paid you a visit the other day." He saw her nod from the corner of his eye. They were a good distance from the young monks and Jack by this point. "The young monks have said that he attacked you before. Did he hurt you when he visited you, Jiayi?"

She bit her thumbnail and shifted her gaze away. "…just my pride, really…he didn't hurt me physically or leave any marks…"

His frown deepened, reluctant to keep speaking on this subject. "It was recently divulged to him that you were made eternally young so that you could be his. I know this is only a half-truth, but you must understand the effect this has had on him."

The girl stretched her arms over her head and yawned. "He's an arrogant fool…thinks he can convince me to join him." Seeing his eyes widen ever so slightly, she raised an eyebrow. "Guan…I would never join him. You know me better than that."

"I would hope that I do." It was now that he shifted the bag slung over his shoulder, drawing her attention to it. "I brought you some Lao Mang Lone Soup and some things from your old home. Hopefully they will serve as a reminder that you are good."

A muscle in her cheek twitched once, violently. "I am _not_ evil." She took the bag from him and shook her head. "You know…I'm not with Jack to cause trouble."

"Do you love him?" There was no hint of jealousy or anger in his voice. Only curiosity.

Jiayi's amber eyes half-closed and she shook her head. "I can't…I can't hurt him that way…hurt myself that way…I swore to myself that I would never get into such a situation again. Loving a mortal would be worse. Watching him grow old. Watching him grow weak until he died. Just the thought of it…"

"You have always been very sad. Since the day we met, I have seen it in your eyes. No matter what you did, you always held such a deep sadness. I can see it slowly fading now. I don't know if it's him or the young monks. Whatever it is, I am glad for you, Jiayi." He placed a hand on her shoulder, displaying a warm smile on his face.

"Hm…thank you…I guess." Remembering the bag that he had given her, she half-grinned. "Thank you for the soup, especially."

"What did you do last month? Did you skip your dose?"

Her mouth twisted into a frown at this. He always referred to the soup as if it were her medicine for some common ailment. "I was injured…and Jack took me to Chase Young for it…." Jiayi saw his jaw muscles clench and sighed. "I…might have died otherwise. And if you hadn't brought this today…but I think he was almost expecting me…"

Guan could see a change in her expression each time she mentioned Chase Young. He knew that the relationship between her and his nemesis was quite strained, but something seemed wrong. "Did he do something inappropriate?"

The girl's face turned bright red and she shook her head. "N-no," she lied. "He didn't. He just…scares me. I hate him."

"If he did something inappropriate, you can tell me. I will continue to protect you so long as you stay on the Xiaolin side, Jiayi Xun."

 _So if I turned back, you would abandon me. Good to know._ Biting at her nail again, she shrugged. "If he touches me again…I'll rip out his insides." With a small grin, she looked at her savior and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Thanks again, Guan. For everything." Jiayi started to walk away quickly, before he could react.

"Are you wearing a shen-gon-wu around your neck?"

She froze and gave him a timid look over her shoulder. "…maybe…" Her free hand lifted to fidget with the artifact, frowning. "I'm only wearing it…because Jack gave it to me."

"Jiayi, you do realize what sort of danger-"

"I promised him…that I won't let him get hurt…that no danger will come to him," she quietly stated. "Jack is _mine_. I won't let Chase Young…or _anyone else_ …separate me from him. Do you understand, Guan?"

The look in her eyes was frightening. It left Guan unsettled, seeing something familiar in her gaze. Malevolence. Evil. Though it was a simple flicker of evil, it still made him instantly begin to worry about a possible relapse. The past centuries, she had been on her best behavior. He had worked hard to make certain that she would never stray back to the Heylin side. To keep her away from the dark destiny that Hannibal had determined for her. He needed to do something to bring her back. Something to draw her away from the path of darkness.

"Guan…do you understand?" The evil was gone from her eyes now. "I…really like him. I might even…maybe…love him. I know he's evil…but he isn't really that bad so…just let me have this."

"This is truly what you want? That boy makes you happy?"

She nodded once, but had her back to him now. "Guan...are you angry?" The last thing that she wanted was to disappoint him. Throughout her long, ever-changing life, he had been the one thing that was a constant. He was always there, always ready to help her if needed. To lose him now would be like losing a part of herself almost.

"I am not angry. If he makes you happy, I suppose that is all that matters." He had more to say. More that he wanted to say, to be precise, but knew that he should not say it. Though there was something that need to be said. It was difficult. "Jiayi Xun, you swear that you will not relapse to the Heylin side?"

"I swear." She spared him a glance before looking toward the temple. Jack was waiting for her, leaning against one of the buildings and watching curiously. "Guan, if I do…begin to feel evil…or the young monks notice me acting…wicked…I will find you. I will need your help and, no matter what I might say, I will want you to do everything in your power to bring me back. Can you promise me that?"

"I promise."

Jiayi proceeded to walk back to the temple, determined not to look back at Guan. She had seen it in his eyes. He was worried. This, in turn, made her start to worry. Shaking her head, the girl tried to push these thoughts from her mind. When she reached Jack, she greeted him with a half-grin that made him grin back. "Guess what I got."

"Shen-gon-wu?"

"What? No." She raised an eyebrow and poked him on the cheek with her free hand. "One-track mind, much? No…I got something much more valuable. He bundled some things from my old home…as well as some soup." The redhead frowned now and rubbed his cheek. "What? Why do you look so disappointed? Were you…actually hoping that we would need to go for help again?"

"Kind of. I mean-"

"Why? You do realize…what sort of trouble he would cause…don't you?"

"Yeah, but-" His face turned bright pink when she closed the short distance between them, her chest pressed against his and her mouth curled into a small smirk.

"Jack…you would want to have to share me with him…would you?" Her free hand came up and trailed fingertips down the side of his face teasingly. "You wouldn't…right?"

Summoning forth as much courage as he could, he wrapped an arm around her and grinned again. "You know I'm the jealous type. Let's go home."

She snickered and swayed her hips against his. "Oh? That eager to get me alone again, hm? All of this talk about your idol get you excited?" Jiayi bid farewell to the young monks and began walking back to the road with Jack, only vaguely aware of the stare that seemed to follow her. The stare that bore jealousy, anger. She was blissfully unaware.


	11. Chapter 11

_Are you kidding me? This can't be real._ Jiayi was sitting up in bed, staring at the spot where Jack would usually be asleep. In his place was a note. She lifted it with hands that began to tremble with rage. _Are you kidding me?!_ The girl grabbed the phone that he had given her a few weeks ago and scrolled to his number, trying to call him. There was no answer. Quietly cursing, she contemplated calling Kimiko, but decided against it. _I should handle this myself. But what kind of stupid-?!_ Jiayi found a pair of black jeans and a black tank top, grimacing as she dressed. When her boots were on, as well as a dark hooded jacket, she went outside.

Jiayi knew where she had to go to find Jack, but shortly after stepping out into the morning light, she began to wonder if she should get help from the monks. Pulling out her phone again, she growled quietly and called Kimiko. "…hey…"

"Jiayi? Hey! What's up? Are you coming by the temple today?" the girl greeted her.

She started to walk down the road, eyes lifting to examine the cloudless blue sky. "No…maybe…I have a problem."

"What kind of problem? Is Jack trying to pressure you or something?"

The immortal snorted. "Well he is part of the problem…but not in that way. He's been kidnapped." She winced when Kimiko started to laugh. "Yeah…I know how it sounds, but…"

"So do they want a ransom or what?"

 _Why did I think this was a good idea?_ Shaking her head, Jiayi released a sigh. "No. Just…can you send Guan to look for me…if I haven't called you by tomorrow morning?" The call ended and she shoved the phone back into her pocket. _I should have known better. Why would they want to help me rescue a villain? They don't get it. None of them do and I can understand why, given their past with Jack._ She located the note and looked at it once more. It read "You will find what you seek in the Land of Nowhere". Fortunately, she knew where that was. She had trained there in the distant past and once even followed her first love through the Land of Nowhere. Though she had no desire to go there, knowing that this was trap of some sort, she could never abandon Jack.

Running managed to bring her there within a couple of hours and soon she was standing at the border, glaring out at the wasteland. The only things that inhabited these lands were monsters that most mortals could never hope to escape from. There was very little to look at besides desert and rock formations. She put up the hood of her jacket and shaded her eyes for a moment to scan the area for signs of her human companion. _I'm pretty sure he didn't go willingly. He wouldn't have wanted to leave me without saying something first._ Jiayi started forward, half-closing her eyes to focus on all of her other senses.

The air smelled of nothing but heat and bone. The sun warmed her at a barely tolerable level. She heard the wind howl as it rushed past her in gusts. What she hated was that she was unable to sense his presence. _I can sense Guan and every other immortal, but not Jack. Why?_ She fidgeted with the Lunar Locket and frowned as she continued on into the Land of Nowhere.

Though she wanted desperately to simply run through the lands in search of him, she feared that she might miss some detail that would tell her his location. Jiayi moved at a normal human pace, scouring the land for any signs of Jack. Everything seemed to be almost the same shade of brown and it irked her. It began to feel like she was losing her mind after a certain period of time. It was silent except for the wind and the occasional distant shrieks of some forlorn beast. It all made her feel very uneasy.

When she reached the Canyon of Doom and Agony, Jiayi stared at the rocky structures with annoyance clear in her sharp amber eyes. "…are you kidding me…?" she muttered for the third time that day. The structures were moving and froze when they heard her speak. She crossed her arms, staring them down as they stared back at her. "We can do this…the easy way or the hard way. Up to you." A few rushed toward her and she smirked. "Alright…sounds fun." She planted her hands on the first one's shoulders and flipped over its body to kick the head clean off of the one behind it. Turning, she quickly punched through the first one's chest and twisted out of the third creature's grasp. _What is it doing? Did it just…try to grab me?_

It came at her again and again, each time making her twirl just beyond its reach. Finally, it released a roar and lowered its head to rush the girl. She grinned and jumped up to land on its shoulders. While it flailed its arms in panic, she brought her hands together and smashed them down upon the top of its head, sending little bits of rock scattering everywhere. It fell to its knees and she leapt down to send her fist through its chest. When it lay unmoving on the ground, she turned her attention back to the others. They remained frozen in place, but watched closely as the girl walked past them.

Crossing the Canyon of Doom and Agony proved easier than the last time she had visited it. Few creatures approached her after the first display of ferocity so she was able to take her time and continue her search. At the end of the canyon, she felt nothing but disappointment. She soon found herself standing at the border of the Boneyard. Her eyes narrowed again and she checked her phone for new messages or missed calls. "…nothing…seriously?"

"It seems I overestimated you. I thought you would arrive sooner."

She looked up from the phone and scowled at the man standing a few feet in front of her. "Chase Young…of course it was you." Tucking her phone into her pocket, she sneered at his look of amusement. "Where is my boyfriend? If you killed him-"

He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Boyfriend? Do you really think he sees you as an equal?" The man turned and started to walk further into the Boneyard, forcing her to follow him. "I don't know what you see in him. He's _weak_."

"Funny…I was thinking the same about _you_. At least Jack doesn't need to go to such lengths to get my attention." She saw him tense and half-grinned. "Oh…I'm sorry. Did I bruise your ego?" Jiayi dodged his grasp when he was suddenly right in front of, grabbing for her arm. She took several steps back as he followed until her back slammed against the trunk of a dead tree. His hands gripped her shoulders tightly, their eyes meeting.

"You should know that it's a bad idea to taunt me."

She snapped at his face with her teeth, smirking when he pulled away a few inches. "What are you going to do…? You still think…that you can dominate me…? Is that what this is about? You should know that it's a bad idea to try to enslave another immortal. I would have all of eternity to slowly torment you to the brink of insanity."

Chase smirked back at her. "You think that is what this is about? Enslavement? You couldn't be more wrong."

The girl snickered and leaned toward his face, raising an eyebrow. "So…what then? You don't want to be my master?" To her horror, he drew closer to her.

"I intend to be your _king_." A hand shifted from her shoulder to grip her chin firmly, ensuring that she would be forced to meet his gaze. "I intend to take over this world with you at my side, watching everything burn to the ground." His lips pressed against hers in a rough, heated kiss.

Jiayi could feel her face turning red. Her small, pale hands went to his shoulders and held on tightly to steady herself as she quickly wedged a knee between his chest and hers. With a strong kick, she managed to push him away just enough to slip out of his grip and sprint off. When she turned back to him, she saw him lick his lips and raise an eyebrow. _He looks like a predator._ The corner of her mouth lifted and she felt her bones begin to shift. _I'll show him a predator!_

Chase dodged the large, dark blue tiger that had launched herself at him and shifted forms as he did so. Even her beastly form was beautiful, in a strange sort of way. He felt his tail twitch, watching her scrape her claws over the dry earth. The shen-gon-wu around her neck looked very much like a collar in this moment, the locket itself shining brightly against her dark fur. "If you submit, this will be easier for both of us," he growled. "You know that you want to rule at my side. You want to see them suffer. All of those villagers that fear you for no reason. You would never hurt them, but they can never put the thought out of their minds that you could kill them."

"…you know what…? I really don't care…what they think of me. Now why don't you tell me where my boyfriend is so I can leave this pathetic excuse for a domain?"

He charged forward and was mildly surprised when she followed suit, meeting him halfway in a clash of fur, scales, claws, and teeth. It felt exhilarating; their bodies rolling together over the ground as they fought and snarled. Almost intimately. The fight itself felt nothing like a battle. Chase found pleasure in the feeling of her sharp teeth against his neck, her claws frantically trying to break through his scaled flesh. When they parted, he watched her closely and felt a pleasant shiver run down his spine as blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. "Are you ready to give in and accept your destiny?"

Jiayi's tail swished back and forth anxiously, her eyes narrowed upon him. Her tongue darted out to lick up the blood, not entirely sure who it belonged to. Both of them were slightly battered; bruised and bleeding from their fight. She shifted forms again and, breathing hard, tossed her jacket aside. Now all of her scars and tattoos were on display. It immediately drew his attention and she took the opportunity to rush him.

The large, reptilian body skidded back in the dry earth when her fist connected with his face. It was humiliating. As he shifted back to a human body, he became determined to not let her take him by surprise again. When she darted back and away from him, he smirked in satisfaction. She still knew that he was strong, at least. "Do you ever want to see him again?" He could feel blood running down the side of his face and soaking into his left side. It went mostly ignored, choosing instead to view these injuries as tokens of her affection.

Her right eye twitched and her hips began to sway ever so slightly. "Where is Jack?" Like Chase, she was aware of her injuries. Unlike him, she did not view them as tokens of affection. She knew them to be his way of trying to weak her so she would be forced to submit. There were gashes in her right leg, a bite wound on her shoulder that was steadily oozing blood, and various bruises that bloomed all over her body like dark flowers on her pale skin.

The fact that she was standing, despite all of her injuries, did not escape him. Crossing his arms, he smirked. "I had hoped that we could have dinner," he started. "But it seems that someone supplied you with your dose of Lao Mang Lone Soup. It was Guan, wasn't it? He certainly does enjoy catering to your every need, doesn't he? I wonder why that is. You must be so special to him. He hid you from me for centuries and watched over you, didn't he? Have you ever wondered why that is?"

"Leave him out of this!" she snarled. "This…is not about Guan! This is about you telling me where my boyfriend is. Now tell me where Jack is or I'll-!"

"What will you do? Let me rephrase that. What _can_ you do? We're almost evenly matched. Do you know why?" Chase started to walk toward her now, his smirk growing. "We're the same. You can no longer deny that we're the same. Who better to rule over a broken world than the two of us? Who better to spend eternity with than someone that will understand you? Someone that is just like you and will love every side of you?" He had reached her now and did not even flinch when she struck him across the face. Staring down at her, he felt his pulse speed up drastically. She was glaring up at him in defiance and it made him want to do something wicked to make her submit.

"You…think we're _evenly matched_?" She was suddenly several feet away, crouched on the ground and smirking. "…you haven't seen everything I can do…"

He watched her lift a hand, a bright blue flame engulfing her hand. When it was thrown at him, he dodged it and was faintly alarmed when she hurled another and it struck him square in the chest. Chase gritted his teeth and skidded a few feet back, more annoyed than injured. "Everything you can do, I can do."

Jiayi barely had time to dodge the green energy blast and grimaced. Lightning cracked in the sky above her and she darted toward him. Chase stepped back quickly, avoiding her strikes and countering with his own. She avoided his strikes as well and the lightning above seemed to grow fiercer. The sky was becoming dangerously dark. They moved across the dry earth in a violent sort of waltz almost, striking back and forth. She did not want to admit that he could be right. That they could be evenly matched. That they could be perfect together. It was too frightening to think like that. Besides, she had to focus. Even if she was able to hit him once or twice, it was not guaranteed that she could do it again. Another blast of blue flame was launched, this time at his face, and he countered with an energy blast to her ribs.

Her eyes went wide and she froze for a moment, clutching her undoubtedly bruised ribcage. Scowling, she felt his hand clutch her wrist and send her body flying a few feet away to slam against a dead tree. "Ngh! You…you're insane!" she shouted at him. He was suddenly crouched at her side, fingers tangled in her long, dark blue hair. "Don't touch me!"

"Do you think it wise to speak to me that way? I'm the only one that knows where your _boyfriend_ is. Maybe you don't really care. Maybe you're better off without him," he taunted.

"Where is he?! Tell me where he is or I'll-!" She winced, feeling him tug at her hair.

"Do I need to teach you manners? I think a queen should show her king a little more respect than this. Don't you think so?" He dragged her face up so that she was forced to look him in the eye. Her hands were on his chest, trying desperately to push him away. "Jiayi. Don't you agree with me?"

She felt weak, being held by her hair and stared down like cornered prey. "I…ngh! Just…please…tell me where he is."

Chase tilted his head, a cruel smirk taking form on his face. "I think you're better off without him. He's below us. You could do without the distraction." He wrapped an arm around her, just beneath her arms, and dragged her closer to him. "If you agree to join me, I could still let him live. But you would never see him again." The man leaned down to the side of her neck, his mouth brushing over her pale skin as he kissed a trail down to her injured shoulder and then moving toward her throat.

"Blade of the Nebula!" A powerful gust of wind stirred up the loose dirt around them and gave Jiayi enough cover to quickly strike Chase and dart away from him. Raimundo grinned when he saw her emerge from the dirt cloud and was glad when she rushed to his side. "I heard you were having trouble with Jack so I had Kimiko track your phone. Why didn't you ask for help? We would've come here with you!"

"This…isn't over," she quietly stated. Her eyes were on the spot where Chase had been standing before the interruption. He had vanished without a trace.


	12. Chapter 12

His wounds had healed quickly, with the exception of the deep scratch across his face. There was blood drying on the side of his face and neck, sticking the clothes beneath his armor to his side. It both sickened and excited him, remembering how she had been able to actually injure him. When he left Jiayi, he returned to the large cavern at the very edge of the Boneyard and scowled at its occupant.

Jack snickered at his appearance, having watched the whole fight. "You got your butt kicked! The great Chase Young just got beaten by a girl!"

"She did _not_ beat me. I don't know what fight you were watching."

"She scratched you across the face! Look, you're still bleeding! And didn't I _tell_ you that she wouldn't join you?" The redhead looked back to the small monitor that he was holding and frowned. "Why did Raimundo show up?"

Chase smirked as he felt the wound on his face healing. "You really can't see it?"

"What? You know why he's there?" Jack was watching them on the monitor. Jiayi was walking alongside the monk. He was unsure of what he was feeling exactly. Whether it was jealousy or fear. Even though she was once evil and now claimed to be good, he still had the feeling that he could sway her back to the Heylin side. If Raimundo tried to get her to join the monks, he would need to take drastic action.

"He thinks that he can take her." The words were said in a low tone, almost taunting. "You haven't noticed the way that he watches her?"

"She wouldn't join them."

"How can you be so sure?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "She loves me. Don't you have some planning to do? She's going to find me eventually. With his help, it might be sooner than you think."

"She won't reach you in time."

 **Shift P.O.V**

"You think it's funny, right?" He looked over at her as they walked through the Boneyard, side by side. There was no humor in her expression and, though he knew that he should drop the subject, he chose to explain it. "I mean, Jack was kidnapped. It's like we're on a quest to save a princess. It's a _little_ funny, isn't it?"

Jiayi glanced at Raimundo and her frown grew deeper. "…I don't know where he is…"

"Wait. What? Seriously? So where are we walking to?" He squinted at the horizon, the sky still dark and lightning flashed above their heads. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he suspected that the weird storm was caused by Jiayi and Chase Young, but he chose not to ask.

"We need to find that monster…and interrogate him. Maybe with your help…I might actually accomplish something this time…" She bit her thumbnail, not entirely sure of their success. _I can only hope so. Raimundo's strength combined with mine could be enough to defeat him. At the very least, we could weaken him until he has no choice but to tell me where Jack is._

They walked on in silence for a while, both lost in thought. While Jiayi was thinking about her missing boyfriend, Raimundo's mind was elsewhere. His thoughts were much darker and shifted between avenging her injuries to how he might impress her. What he seemed unable to get away from was the thought that she was once evil so, naturally, an act of evil could work. Before he could stop himself an evil thought actually voiced itself, "We could torture him."

She raised an eyebrow and turned her head toward him. He had his sword leaning back against his shoulder, his eyes seemingly fixed upon the horizon. "…are you serious…?"

Sensing that she was not entirely opposed to the idea, he grinned a bit mischievously. "Well, yeah. Why not? He took something important from you, he attacked you, and what was he trying to do when I showed up? Don't tell me it wouldn't make you feel better."

"Whatever I want…I'll do on my own. It's much more satisfying that way." Jiayi smirked and flexed her sharp-nailed hands. "So…how do you intend to keep up with me anyway? I need to find Jack before something happens to him. I might need to go all out."

"I've got it covered." He rummaged in the backpack he wore and his grin grew. "I borrowed the Mantis Flip Coin and Jetbootsu in case you have to climb stuff. I also took the Mikado Arm and Ju-Ju Flytrap in case you need help fighting something." Raimundo looked truly proud of himself and was certain that she would be at least a little impressed.

Instead, Jiayi frowned. "…why are you so _prepared_ …?"

"I wanted to help you."

She started to walk a little faster. "I can save my own boyfriend…I don't need help."

"You don't know where he is! And what would've happened earlier if I hadn't helped you?! Chase Young looked like he was going to rip out your throat!" he argued.

Biting her fingernail, Jiayi scowled. _He's right. I know he is. Well, I wouldn't have had my throat ripped out. It just could have been really bad._ She looked over at the young man and sighed quietly. "Fine." A glance up at the sky showed that it was still dark with lightning crashing overhead. "If I run at full speed…you can't follow," she muttered.

"Yeah, I don't have anything with super speed," he reluctantly admitted.

"Hm." Jiayi shifted forms and narrowed her eyes on the horizon. "Just…climb on."

"Wait! What?! Why?" Raimundo's face started to turn red quickly.

"…what are you embarrassed about…? It's like…riding a horse. Except I'm a tiger." Her tail twitched back and forth as she watched him. "Well? Climb on…or be left behind." She smirked when he climbed onto her back, his fingers weaving into her shaggy blue fur. "Hold on _tight_ …and keep your eyes closed."

He tightened his grip and closed his eyes with reluctance. She immediately began to sprint across the landscape, his legs wrapping around her midsection subconsciously. Many thoughts rushed through his mind at that moment. He wondered if she was blushing beneath the fur. What she might be thinking about. He fought the urge to open his eyes and watch the ground pass beneath them. The smell of lavender shampoo emanated from her dark blue hair and it calmed him marginally. "Didn't you call Jack your boyfriend earlier?" he shouted over the rush of air passing them.

"What about it?" The voice that came from her feline mouth was undoubtedly her own, tinged with a tiger's growl. Jiayi was trying hard not to think about how tightly the young man was pressed against her back. _He's just scared, right? This means nothing. And besides, he reminds me too much of someone else. That fool. He'll never know what he missed when he rejected me!_

"So you're dating him?" Raimundo half-expected her to have just picked up the word 'boyfriend' without understanding its meaning.

"Dating?" she repeated. Her thoughts went to the romance novels that she had recently read and frowned. _Dating? Like holding hands? Like cuddling on couches and watching movies?_ Her eyes narrowed. "I suppose. I like him a lot."

He opened his eyes now as her pace slowed. The tiger decreased her speed to a brisk trot and finally paused in front of what could only be described as another canyon. Raimundo could hear her panting and climbed down from her back, waiting for her to shift forms. Her wounds were healed, leaving only light scars, and her dark blue hair was tangled and wild. "What are we doing now? Do you know where he might be?"

"…I didn't anticipate a second canyon…" Jiayi tilted her head back and scowled. The lightning had vanished, giving way to dark clouds that threatened rain. _Once it begins to rain, all of this will turn to mud. We'll move slower and visibility will be bad._ She glanced at her companion, watching him fidget slightly with his sword. As much as she hated the thought of letting more time pass, it would be best to wait until the rain stopped. "We need to find shelter."

"What about Jack?"

"The weather here…it's unpredictable. It could rain fire on us," she stated firmly. "It's best for all of us if we wait for the rain to stop before proceeding." Jiayi began to walk away, entering the canyon as if it were nothing.

He followed, but was wary. When he crossed the first canyon, every rock creature seemed reluctant to even look his way. It made him wonder what she might have done when she crossed before him. "So what do you like about Jack? If you don't mind me asking," he spoke up, hoping to keep his mind off of the possibility of fire rain.

She half-grinned. "He's sweet…thoughtful…smart…"

"Are we talking about the same Jack here?" Raimundo flinched at the glare she gave him. "It was a _joke_. I was kidding. So you really like him that much?"

"I let you ride on my back…so we could hopefully get to him sooner…" Jiayi frowned. "I have never let a human ride on my back before today. Just remember that."

His cheeks flushed pink. "Alright, I get it. So where are we going? It's dangerous to stay in this place. If we stick around for too long, Chase Young will come back."

The girl paused a few feet into the canyon and smirked. "Up there," she said with a nod. There was a cavern opening in the rock wall about thirty feet above them. "You can even use your shen-gon-wu to get up there." She shifted back to her tiger form and began to climb up to the cavern. The boy dug around in his bag for the Mantis Flip Coin and leapt up to meet her there.

A long silence ensued as they settled in, each sitting on one side of the cave against the earthen wall. The rain began to fall shortly after and Jiayi drew a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the storm. The air felt electrically charged, urging her to continue her search. Urging her to find Chase and tear him apart. She suppressed these urges, remembering logic. _The canyon, the Boneyard, everything will turn to mud soon and I won't be able to move quickly. Raimundo would move even slower. I need to just think this over and consider my options now._

"What's that?" The young man squinted down at something in the distance.

Jiayi followed his gaze and smothered a laugh. There was a female figure trudging through the muddy canyon, bright red hair soaking wet and dress clinging to her in a way that made her look miserable. "…Wuya…"

"Why would Wuya be here? Did she help him kidnap Jack?"

"I don't know…" She saw him move toward the opening of the cave and grimaced. Moving quickly, she covered his mouth with a hand and wrapped an arm around him to drag him back. "Don't. I don't want her to see us." Jiayi felt his heart pounding beneath her fingertips and frowned. _Why is his heart beating this fast?_ She carefully released him and raised an eyebrow. "Rai. Why is your face red?"

He rubbed the back of his head and settled against the earthen wall at her side. "I mean, I'm a guy. You're cute. It doesn't matter. Look, maybe she can help us."

"I doubt it. If anything, she'll _hinder_ our efforts." She drew her knees to her chest and watched Wuya slip in some mud, falling face-first onto the ground. A snort escaped Jiayi. "So…what does being a guy have to do with you blushing? Girls blush as well."

"I said it doesn't matter."

"You say many things, don't you?" With a deep sigh, she wrapped her arms around herself. _As long as Wuya doesn't see us, we should be able to make decent progress when the rain ends. It's still unpredictable._ From the corner of her eye, she saw Raimundo move a little closer to her. "…cold or something…?" she murmured.

"A little bit." He was surprised when she shifted an arm and motioned for him to lean against her side. She was pleasantly warm, despite missing her jacket. Her skin radiated just the right amount of heat to warm him and make him comfortable. The young man briefly considered putting his arms around her, but decided against it. It was still too soon. Surely he had to do something first. Something to prove his worth to her. He was certain that she questioned how useful he might be. "So Kimiko said you turned evil for a guy?"

Jiayi's amber eyes half-closed. "…basically…I wanted to get his attention…so when I was offered power, I devised a plan to make him notice me…obviously, it didn't work out quite right. He grew to despise me. When he defeated me, he refused to even look at me."

"Obviously, he didn't know much about you." He heard her snort quietly in amusement. "No, but he didn't, did he? If he knew how cool you are-"

"I was not always like this. When I was very young…I loved to cook. Even more than that, I loved to play music. My father made me a flute and I would sit outside in any sort of weather and play…because it soothed me. It made me feel like everything would be alright. I was foolish." She shook her head and grimaced. Outside, Wuya was shouting in outrage at the muddy earth. The rain was making Jiayi depressed, dampening her spirits and making her question if she would even find Jack before something horrible happened.

"Well _I_ think you're cool. Even if you were evil." Raimundo was testing her to see what her reaction might be. If she acted angry, he would drop the subject. Jiayi was silent. "Just get some rest. I'll keep watch. You _were_ fighting Chase Young earlier." To his surprise, she nodded her agreement and slid down to curl up on her side. Raimundo shifted to sit beside her while looking out upon the canyon. "He doesn't know what he missed out on. That guy that you liked."

She bit the inside of her cheek and tightened her hands into fists. A few minutes of silence passed between them as she lied there on the earthen cave floor. "…I loved him, you know…and he _never once_ looked at me…" A shuddering breath left her as she tried not to cry. "Raimundo…what's wrong with me? Why is it…whenever I love someone…they either despise me or they're taken away from me? Even my parents…I loved them so much and they just… _died_. Without saying good bye. Without any explanation. They just…burned…with the house and everything else…"

He could tell by her voice that she was beginning to doze off. The young man turned toward her and very carefully brushed his fingertips through her long, dark blue hair. Her body was trembling beneath his touch and it pained him to see her that way. She had been so powerful just earlier that day and now the thought of her first love reduced her to a trembling, melancholic bundle of tears. "It's going to be okay. We'll find him," he tried to reassure her.

Jiayi lifted a hand toward her face and sank her teeth into her own flesh. It brought pain, but the pain quickly began to overshadow her despair. When she tasted blood, she finally released her skin and licked at the wound. "…we'll find him…and I'll tear out Chase Young's beating heart…"


	13. Chapter 13

Morning brought sunshine alongside worry. Jiayi leapt down from the cave with Raimundo quickly following, frowning to herself. She had woken to find him sleeping beside her and though she told herself that it was due to him being cold, she had a suspicion that he had ulterior motives. When she reached the ground, she combed through her hair with her fingers to detangle it. "…any idea where we should start…?"

The young monk frowned back at her. "No idea." A shiver ran through him when he saw something bright red in the distance. "Is that-?"

"Oh no." Jiayi cringed at the sight of Wuya emerging from a crevice in the rock wall. The other immortal was shivering, her clothes and hair muddy. "Stalking me again?" she taunted.

"I am _not_ stalking you! What would give you such a ridiculous idea?!" the redhead demanded. She stomped over to them, scowling first at Jiayi and then at Raimundo. "Just what is _he_ doing here?! Didn't you leave alone yesterday?"

The shorter woman took a step back, raising an eyebrow. "You _were_ stalking me?"

"I said I was _not_ stalking you! Wherever you go, Chase Young seems to follow! I'm not looking for you; I'm looking for _him_! Now tell me where he is!"

"Okay, first let's try to forget how creepy that sounded. I'm here to help Jiayi rescue Jack Spicer," Raimundo explained, brandishing his sword.

"Jack was kidnapped?" Wuya gave them both a frustrated and skeptical look. "How do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know that she isn't trying to convert you to the Heylin side?!"

"Kind of the opposite. I was going to try to convert her to the Xiaolin side."

Jiayi stood for a moment, listening to them bicker but overall ignoring what was being said. When she caught the scent of something familiar, she started to sway her hips subconsciously and she glanced over her shoulder. There, in the distance, was a familiar figure. _Wait…where's his armor? He's just wearing that black underarmor thing. He doesn't look right._ She narrowed her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek. "…if you're looking for Chase Young…he's over there," she quietly stated.

Raimundo turned to follow her gaze and shaded his eyes with a hand. "Something's wrong. He doesn't seem-" The villain was suddenly standing right in front of him, smirking down at the young man. "Hey! Not cool!" He tried to maintain his courage, even as the front of his shirt was grabbed.

"You think you're her little hero?" Chase's smirk fell as his eyes narrowed into a glare that would make any normal person burst into tears. "You're _weak_."

When she saw the man move to throw Raimundo, she raced to catch him. "Leave him out of this. He has nothing to do with our quarrel," she snarled.

"How foolish do you think I am?"

She smirked and crossed her arms, Raimundo standing at her side now. "Fairly foolish. In fact, I would wager that you're _incredibly_ foolish on top of being an arrogant sociopath." Her sharp amber eyes fixed on his and saw a spark of anger growing there. "Oh? Is that…? I believe it is. Did I leave a _scar_ across your face? It's so faint, but I can still tell…and here you are wearing it like a badge of weakness." Jiayi shoved Raimundo to the ground and twisted quickly to avoid an energy blast aimed at her midsection. "…such a lack of control…" She shook her head, grinning. "Are you always like this…or do I just have some strange affect over you?"

Wuya began to fume at being ignored. When she stormed over to Chase's side, her mouth was twisted into a grimace. "I have been searching everywhere for you! Why is it that every time I see you now, you're pursuing this weak little girl?! What is so special about her?"

"You know she's right…I'm just a weak little girl," Jiayi said, her grin growing and hips swaying. "So just turn your attention elsewhere. Maybe to someone who would _appreciate_ it."

"Weak?" The villain's lips curled into a smirk and his gaze seemed to darken, locked on the amber-eyed young woman. "Clearly, you don't want them to know."

"Know what? She _is_ weak! She's always been weak! Look at her now! Why is she here? She's here to find Jack Spicer!" Wuya argued.

"Hey, what are they talking about?" Raimundo asked, raising himself from the dusty ground. He brushed dirt from his clothes and gave Jiayi a curious look. She appeared strangely ashamed, but tried to mask this with anger. "Jiayi?"

She gritted her teeth, feeling an odd progression of emotions race through her. Humiliation, anger, and finally a spark of madness. Her long, dark blue hair fell to hide the left half of her face as she tilted her head, the corners of her mouth drawing back into a horrifying grin. "I need to find Jack." Her voice seemed much louder than usual, but fell short of yelling. The volume caught the attention of the other two immortals as they paused in their argument to look at her. "Now that I have your undivided attention, I'd appreciate an answer to my question. Chase Young. Where is my boyfriend?"

" _Boyfriend_?!" Wuya repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"You're too late." The expression he wore was one of complete satisfaction. "Even if you find him, you will never-" He cut himself off to dodge a blast of energy directed at his face. Seeing the fury in her gaze, his heart began to beat faster. This was what he wanted. What he had expected. Things were going his way now. They would fight and she would be defeated.

When she saw him shift forms and bound off into the canyon, she felt a growl force its way up her throat. "You will not escape me so easily, you arrogant sociopath! I will catch you, I will tear you apart!" Jiayi shifted to her tiger form and raced after him, not caring about those she left behind. _What did he do to Jack?! I'll never forgive myself if he's dead! I'll never forgive myself for letting Chase use him this way!_

 **Shift P.O.V**

Raimundo looked at Wuya, who seemed irritated and confused by the turn of events. "What are you going to do? Aren't you going to follow him?"

"Do I look like I'm in any shape to do that?!" she snapped. "Go after Jiayi! We both know that's what you want!"

He rummaged around in his bag for the Mantis Flip Coin. "It's not like that."

"Lies." She crossed her arms and squinted at the two figures racing through the canyon. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I know that you like her. I don't care. Go ahead and take her. In fact…" Now she turned to him with a wicked smile. "Perhaps we can make a deal. You do know her alignment right now, don't you?"

"She's neutral."

"She's with Jack. She's on the Heylin side. But you could sway her to the Xiaolin side. I know you could; you probably remind her of _him_."

"That guy she turned evil for?" Though he hated the idea of being used this way, he was still curious. "You think I remind her of him?"

"I can see it in her eyes. So do me a favor. Sway her to the Xiaolin side so Chase Young will focus on me instead. Wouldn't it be nice? She could stay at the temple with you."

 **Shift P.O.V**

Adrenaline surged through her veins as she pounced on his back. Her claws sank into his sides, her feline forelegs wrapping around his midsection and her body twisting to knock him off-balance. Chase thrashed, nearly throwing her off of him, but her claws sank in deeper. "You…think you can throw me off that easily?" she taunted. "I will _never_ let you go now! Isn't this what you wanted?! You wanted me, right? Well here I am!"

"Not quite the scenario I had hoped for," he said in reply. "Let me fix that."

Jiayi's spine slammed against a rock wall when he threw her. Pain raced through her body, but she could feel her rage overpowering it. Her rounded tiger ears went back, tail swishing angrily back and forth. The man shifted back to his human form and smirked down at her, despite the bleeding gashes on his sides. She was reluctant to change forms as well, but did so for the sake of speaking from a human mouth. "I bet you wish you had worn your armor," she teased. "You look pale…maybe you'll bleed out."

He crouched in front of her, watching the young woman try to back further into the rock wall. "You thought you loved him, didn't you?" Jiayi was silent, staring into his eyes with hatred. "You keep calling me foolish, but I didn't try to fall in love with someone like _him_. Do you understand now? We belong together."

She lifted a trembling hand, her body beginning to feel the pain again. With a sharp movement, she tangled her fingers in his long black hair, tugging at it once. A low growl started at the back of his throat, his eyes half-closing. A short laugh escaped her and she pulled again. "Freak. Cretin. I don't know why…but you…" Jiayi felt his hand on her throat and froze. Her body slid up the side of the rock wall, his body pressing against hers to trap her there. "You think I'll let you take me?! I could _destroy_ you! I could tear you apart and scatter the pieces around the earth!" she snarled. _He isn't wearing his armor so I can actually feel his body heat. This is not a good situation! I never-!_

"I could destroy you," Chase countered, his face drawing close to the side of her neck. His hand had shifted to the girl's side, holding her up and feeling each rise and fall of her chest. "But I won't. That would be such a loss. No, I can think of a few other things that could be just as satisfying. If you submit, this can end. If you continue to refuse, I can make things worse."

"You already took away what I loved. How much worse can you make it?" Jiayi yanked at his hair and felt the growl vibrate in his chest, his body pressing closer against hers. The girl began to tremble with nervousness when she felt teeth graze her neck.

"You really loved him? He was pathetic. Weak. I can't imagine what you saw in him."

She smirked and leaned up, bringing her face close to the side of his neck. Her body was shaking now with frantic giggles. "…you…all of you…not one of you could understand…not even _attempt_ to understand…" she murmured. Chase's body went rigid for a moment as he felt something warm and wet trace up the side of his neck to his ear. Coupling this with the way she pulled on his hair, he began to growl lowly in pleasure once more. Jiayi's face turned red when she felt his hips push hard against her own. The friction of his lower half against hers sent jolts of unwanted pleasure through her.

When the young woman pushed him away, he made no move to close in again. Instead, he chose to examine her from a short distance. Jiayi's scarred upper chest and arms were bared, the tattoos on her forearms bold in the bright sunlight. He knew what they meant, but despite their warning, he wanted to get closer. Even the evil grin on her face could not deter him now. "Admit it. You enjoy this. You spent centuries alone, making your medicines. Admit that this is more exciting. You enjoy fighting me. You enjoy the fact that I'm pursuing you."

Her hips swayed back and forth, her eyes locked on him. Chase crossed his arms, confident that she would not run. _I won't. I'm not going to run away. If I can't save Jack…I at least want to know where he is. If he isn't alive anymore, he shouldn't have to stay in a place like this._ As she opened her mouth to speak, planning to demand that Chase tell her where Jack was, she heard her name being called from overhead. Jiayi tilted her head back and met Raimundo's gaze from where he stood on a ledge. It was several feet above her and he was grinning down at her. "What? Don't think that you can stop me from-!"

"I found Jack! He's alive, but…"

The girl's eyes went wide and she looked from Chase back to Raimundo. The rush of relief quickly overshadowed her anger and she rushed up the side of the canyon to the ledge. Inside, she found something that almost made her want to laugh. Tears ran down her cheeks and she fell to her knees, leaning against the glass sphere that her boyfriend was trapped in. "…are you kidding me…?"

Jack gave her a sheepish smile. "Hey, Jiayi. Sorry about this."

"Don't tell me you went with him willingly," Raimundo spoke up. He walked a circle around the Sphere of Yun, wondering how they would get Jack out of it.

"Do you even…realize how _ridiculous_ this is?! Do you know what I went through to try to save you? I thought he had killed you, Jack! I was going to tear him into little pieces and-!" Jiayi scowled and put a hand to the glass. He put his hand against the other side, frowning guiltily. "Jack…you're such a troublemaker…"

"I never said that I killed him."

Hearing Chase right behind her, the girl's scowl deepened. "Step away…or I'll bite off your hand." To her irritation, he stepped closer. "How cute. You're trying to test me…?"

"Don't touch her." Raimundo put himself between Jiayi and Chase, brandishing the Blade of the Nebula. "I don't know what your plan was, but obviously it failed. She's not going to join you. Now back off."

Chase smirked at this act of bravery. "You're still trying to be her hero. Let me ask you. Does she look like she needs someone to save her? It isn't about that, is it?"

"You don't know what you're saying."

"Of course I do. I've seen the way you look at her. You want to be her hero. You want her to look at you the way that she looks at Jack." He saw a muscle in the boy's jaw twitch. "You want her for yourself. Do you think I'll allow it?" His hand closed around Raimundo's throat and met the younger man's glare with one of his own. "She belongs to _me_. She was made for _me_. Do you know what I do to people that try to take what is mine?"

"Put him down." The voice came from the mouth of the cave and held a firm tone to it.

Jiayi looked over her shoulder to see Guan standing there with his spear. He gave her a curious look and she nodded once to confirm that she was alright. Very carefully, she hooked an arm around Raimundo's legs and pulled hard to make him fall beside her. Guan rushed forward to meet Chase, but was sorely disappointed when the villain disappeared. The young woman's eyes were still fixed on Jack, who was watching everything from within the Sphere of Yun. "Alright…um…how do we get him out of this? Is there a shen-gon-wu that we use or-?"

"First things first. How are we going to get him out of this cave? Is this thing going to fit through the opening?" Raimundo glanced at the cave mouth and pondered whether or not they should leave Jack there while they figure out what to do. "Hey, how did Guan know to come here?"


	14. Chapter 14

"Gettin' mighty _crowded_." Clay's gaze was directed at the odd trio in the distance, a frown on his face. Kimiko and Omi sat with him, watching Jiayi and Raimundo set up a sort of canopy over the Sphere of Yun. Pacing further in the distance was Wuya, who sent Jiayi a glare every so often. "So why-?"

"Chase Young trapped Jack in the Sphere of Yun," Kimiko replied, turning her gaze to the phone in her hands. "Master Monk Guan went with Jiayi to get the Reversing Mirror from Jack's so they could free him, but they think that Chase took it so now Master Monk Guan is trying to find him so he can get it back."

There was a brief moment of silence, which was broken by Omi asking the question that everyone was thinking. "What will happen if Master Monk Guan cannot retrieve the Reversing Mirror?"

Kimiko bit her lower lip in slight worry. "Well, air is getting into the sphere somehow, but there's no way to get food or water to him so…"

"He might die," Clay finished for her. They saw Raimundo walking toward them now as Wuya joined Jiayi and Jack beneath the canopy. "Awful way to go."

"Just think of Jiayi, having to watch that happen. She tried to break it open herself, but it's a shen-gon-wu. It's pretty much impossible to get him out without using the Reversing Mirror."

 _I can hear everything that you're saying._ Jiayi slouched beside the sphere, crossing her arms over her chest. She was trying her best not to think of what might happen, but had some idea of what she had to do. _Chase is setting another trap. He'll make me face him in order to get the mirror. He won't actually let Jack die. Even for an arrogant sociopath, he seems to have some sort of integrity._

"I've never seen someone trapped in the sphere for this long," Wuya remarked, tapping the glass with a sharp nail.

"Hey! I'm not a goldfish! Don't tap the glass!" Jack snapped at her. He frowned when Wuya cackled. "How long is it going to take for him to find C.Y.? My stomach's growling so hard that it hurts."

Jiayi, without really thinking about it, pressed a hand to the glass. "If he doesn't find him by tonight…I might search for him myself," she replied.

"Oh, really?! How _selfless_ of you to sacrifice yourself to rescue your precious boyfriend! We both know what this is really about!" Wuya snarled.

"…do you even realize how delusional you are sometimes…?" The blue-haired young woman resisted the urge to punch Wuya's face and instead flicked her forehead. "You. Are. _Insane_. Why are you here anyway? You act so…jealous. If you like Chase Young so much, why don't you search for him yourself instead of using me as bait?"

The redhead rubbed where Jiayi had flicked her face. "You act like this is the first time we've worked together."

"You stalking me is not considered 'working together'."

"You worked together before?" Jack glanced from Wuya to Jiayi.

"…I don't want to talk about it…" Jiayi stood and stretched her arms over her head, yawning. "Well…I have things to do. Don't poison his mind with your lies, Wuya." She walked to where the monks were and paused for a moment to look at each of them. "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"Might be a while," Clay answered, lifting his eyes to meet her sharp catlike ones. "Thinkin' about going after Chase Young yourself?"

Omi beamed. "We can go with you! Together we will be stronger-!"

"No. This is something I need to do by myself." Her gaze shifted to Raimundo and narrowed into a glare. "…I do need to talk to _you_ though…"

He followed her out to the edge of the forest and sat beside her when she settled on the ground. Since leaving the Land of Nowhere, they had barely spoken to each other. Jiayi had determined that the Reversing Mirror could help and when it was evident that someone had taken it, Raimundo had determined that the sphere could be kept at the temple until Jack was freed. What made him worry, what made his heart pound almost painfully, was what Chase had said. Though Jiayi had yet to mention it, he was certain that it was her reason for pulling him aside. "So what's up? Don't you need to eat?"

She bowed her head, locks of dark blue hair hanging over her eyes as she chewed her bottom lip. "You know…I'm not stupid. Just because I lived mostly alone for centuries…doesn't mean that I don't understand human nature. What that arrogant fool said before. It does make me wonder. Everyone that I have ever come in contact with has had an ulterior motive for interacting with me. Everyone except for Guan. So tell me…what's your motive, Raimundo?"

The young man frowned and felt his face turning pink. "I don't have an ulterior motive."

Her small, pale hands went to the ground beneath her, nails absently sinking into the dry earth. "Don't lie to me. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's liars."

"I thought the one thing you couldn't stand would be Chase Young." He saw her bare a sharp fang and he let his shoulders droop. "I'm serious! I don't have an ulterior motive!"

Jiayi drew a deep breath and stretched her arms in front of her briefly. "Alright…fine. But I know _their_ reason. Kimiko, Omi, Clay. They want me to join you. They should know what a terrible idea that is. I attract such troublesome fools." She glanced over at him and for a brief moment, she could almost imagine her first love in his place.

"Okay, well maybe I do want you to join us. Maybe not." Again, Raimundo found himself recalling her evil, feral expression from when she fought Chase Young. It sent a pleasant shiver throughout his body. "If you won't join us, then can we-?" He realized that she was staring at Guan, who had suddenly appeared alongside the young monks at the temple. Just as he began to wonder what exactly her relationship with Guan was, the girl was moving to join the other immortal.

Jiayi knew instantly that she would regret asking. It was clear that nothing had been accomplished. _Nothing that won't result in me hunting down that arrogant fool and tearing him apart._ She halted in front of the veranda where the young monks were sitting and pushed her hands into her pockets. "Guan…any news?"

His brow furrowed and he moved to pat her shoulder, but then seemed to reconsider. "I am sorry, Jiayi. I was unable to locate either of them."

 _Just as I thought._ The young woman sighed in frustration and ran her fingers through her hair. "Alright so…I suppose we know what must be done."

"You will not use yourself as bait to draw him out." Guan saw her shoulders droop, her mouth opening to protest. "I will not risk you having a relapse and returning to the Heylin side."

"Do you really think so lowly of me? You think I am so weak that I will relapse? I am stronger than I was back then!" Her hands curled into tight fists and her face began to burn with embarrassment. _Everyone is looking at me! Absolutely humiliating!_

"I do not think that you are weak, but he is determined. You must understand the danger that everyone would be in if you returned to the Heylin side, Jiayi Xun."

Her nails were digging into her palms now, her amber eyes burning with rage. "I would _never_ join him! You _know_ that I would never join him so why are you treating me this way?! Hasn't it always been like this? You… _claim_ you have my best interest, but do you really? Is it not that you just care more about everyone else? These past centuries, has it just been some sick form of _martyrdom_ for you to look after me? Well I don't need this! I can take care of myself from this day forward, Guan! You don't need to trouble yourself!" Jiayi turned to go and snarled lowly when he grabbed her arm.

"You will stay here and wait! He will come in search of you and that is when we will strike. Do you understand now?"

The corners of her mouth curled up in an unsettling manner and she pulled out of his hold. "Yes. I understand perfectly now. Either way…whether I look for him or stay here…I'm still bait, aren't I? Oh yes. I should consider myself so lucky…so special that I can be used to lure that sociopath out of hiding…thanks so much, Guan." Jiayi stormed back to where Jack and Wuya were waiting, settling beside the Sphere of Yun with a scowl in place.

"You really let him have it," Wuya remarked.

"…shut up…I feel drained…" She looked into the sphere and saw that Jack had dozed off. With a slight smile, she realized that his eyeliner was becoming smudged.

Hours passed. All the while, Jiayi sat beneath the canopy with her two companions. Wuya talked endlessly; mostly complaining. Jack continued to sleep. Jiayi spent the hours staring at Guan, who stood near the temple building and stared back at her. _Of course, I can't help but wonder now. Why am I everyone's go-to bait for Chase? As far as looks go, I'm not prettier than Wuya. I've been stuck in a seventeen-year-old's body for centuries. My hips never fully filled out and neither did my chest. My hair is always tangled. My chest and arms are covered in scars. And my personality…I know I'm pretty rotten._

"What does he even see in you?!" Wuya sighed in frustration, finishing her rant.

"Yeah…I don't know," Jiayi admitted. She blinked, her eyes beginning to hurt from staring for so long. Her mind started to wander, reflecting on her fight with her nemesis. _Multiple fights,_ she reminded herself. Their last fight had been different though. He had shed his armor and let her injure him in an effort to get closer to her. _He's out of his mind. That's it. That has to be it._ Her eyes narrowed on Guan again. "I'm not evil."

"We know you're not." The answer came from behind her and it made Jiayi jump a little.

She turned to find Kimiko and Raimundo standing there, looking slightly amused at her reaction. "What? Why are you both standing there? How long have you been there?"

"Not long." Kimiko grinned. "You want to leave, right?"

"Don't tell me…you have a plan?"

"We can do this a few different ways. We have Omi and Clay ready to create a distraction if we choose that path. Otherwise, we can use the Shroud of Shadows to help you escape."

Jiayi raised an eyebrow, ignoring the way that Wuya glared at her. She already knew what the other immortal would say. "Why would you want to help me? Or Jack, for that matter? Didn't you hear what Guan said? If I became evil-"

"We know you won't relapse because we're going with you!" Kimiko answered cheerfully. "You can't do this alone. With us, you have a better chance of beating him, right? And in the worst case scenario, we can act as a distraction. We won't let you turn evil and if you start to look evil, we'll bring you back. I know how important Jack is to you and Raimundo agreed that we can't just let him die in the sphere so-!"

"We should probably get going instead of standing around talking about our plan. We're going with the Shroud of Shadows before Guan notices," Raimundo interrupted.

She was actually quite impressed with the way things went. Omi and Clay created a brief distraction as she donned the Shroud of Shadows and soon she was sprinting down the road with Kimiko and Raimundo. _They're helping me, but what can they do if I turn evil? Are they strong enough to not get killed by me? When I was evil…I lost control. I ended people…destroyed villages…left fire in my wake._

"You know, even if you _do_ turn evil again, you might just go after Chase instead of us," Kimiko pointed out. "You hate him, don't you? It would make sense if you went after him."

"You should see the way she took him on last time! Jiayi is almost stronger than he is!"

The young woman's face turned pink and she looked away. "Yes, well…at the time, I believed that he had killed Jack. I was determined to avenge him."

 **Shift P.O.V.**

The distraction was complete, leaving everyone bored once Guan realized that Jiayi had disappeared. He was soon gone as well, determined to stop her. Omi and Clay glanced toward the two Heylin members. Jack had snapped awake at the commotion they had caused and Wuya looked outright bored.

"All you did was buy her a little extra time. Did you really think that you could stop him from following her?" the witch taunted.

"We couldn't just let Jiayi drive herself crazy," Clay protested. He tipped his hat forward to shade his eyes, struggling internally with his decision to help. On one hand, he did not entirely trust her. On the other, he had a bad feeling about what would happen if Jack did die. If the redhead died, Jiayi would certainly turn evil again in her quest for vengeance. It was better to help her than to hinder her in this case.

"You think she couldn't handle losing Jack, is that it?" Wuya smirked, watching Jack from the corner of her eye. He looked perplexed. Unsatisfyingly perplexed. "She's lost someone before. It didn't make her crazy."

"You never told me. How did you and Jiayi meet?" Jack finally spoke up.

For a moment, she looked indignant. "She didn't tell you herself? I'm surprised. Well, when you know that you're going to live forever, you seek out others like yourself. If you're going to live for an eternity, you want to spend that eternity with someone, right?"

Jack stared at her. "Wait. What?"

"Embarrassing as it is, you could say that we were best friends for a short time." Wuya's smirk returned when everyone appeared shocked. "It's true. You know that Guan couldn't be with her at all times so whenever he went off to do whatever he does, she and I would meet. For a short while, she even carried my puzzle box when I was trapped. And she acts as if our friendship was an _embarrassment_."

 _You just said it was embarrassing._ Too afraid to point this out, Jack tried to act aloof. "You're annoying. Can you really blame her?"

"How dare you!" She knocked a fist against the sphere and cackled when he winced. "When she returns, I'm leaving. Honestly, I should have just gone with them."

"Do you think they will find him?" The question came from Omi.

The woman shrugged. "Probably not. He wants her alone, doesn't he? Besides, I'm sure Guan will stop her from getting too far."


	15. Chapter 15

"Aren't you Xun's kid?" The voice made her look up, frown, and return her gaze to the horizon. "What was your name? It was something that means luck, right? Jiao or Jia."

"…it's _Jiayi_ …" the fifteen-year-old stated. "And exactly how close are you to him? You call him 'Xun'. That's our _family_ name. If you are going to act familiar, at least use his first name." The snow continued to fall in large flakes, a cold wind blowing around the two. The girl was seated on a boulder at the edge of her family's property, watching her house with irritation.

"Right. I know his name. It's Renshu." He stood there beside her boulder for a long moment, silent. His gaze followed hers to the house and he raised an eyebrow. Though he knew of Renshu Xun's great skill in the creation of weapons and armor, he was unaware that Renshu's daughter was this age. If she were younger or older, it would be much less awkward. "Did you have an argument with them or something?"

Peering up at him through her long black hair, she scowled and bit her thumbnail. "Wh-what do _you_ care? You're just here to see my father, aren't you? Go on. I don't care."

Though he could feel the venom in her words, he did not walk away. Instead, he reached down to pat the top of her head, earning a soft growl from the girl. It made him laugh a little. "I'm not going in without you."

"I said you should go on," she protested. "I'm not going back. Not yet." Jiayi turned to look at him more closely now. "…are you alone today…?"

"Wait. You've seen me before?"

Her glare turned fierce. "I am there every time you visit him."

"You know, you're cute when you're angry." Instantly, her face turned red and she turned away again. "Even cuter when you blush like that."

"Sh-shut up." She felt him ruffle her hair and hated that it felt nice. Truthfully, she was refusing to go into her house in protest of her parents trying to arrange a marriage for her. Many offers had been given by young men throughout the nearby village. She had no desire to change her ways; giving up her freedom, giving up everything that she loved. "…just go already…"

"Fine. I'll go in." The man lifted her over his shoulder easily, making her blush grow vibrant. "If I'm going in, you're going with me. I can't let Renshu's kid freeze to death."

 **Present day…**

 _Renshu's kid. Was there ever a time he didn't call me that? Yes. The last time I ever saw him. He said my name, but he said it like a curse._ Jiayi glanced at her companions. They all knew by this point that Guan would pursue them. Despite this fact, Kimiko and Raimundo remained calm. _What if he deems this betrayal? You must be going against his orders. There's no way that he would allow you to help me._

"So we're really going into this completely _blind_?! We have _no idea_ where he is?" Raimundo finally voiced everyone's thoughts.

"I doubt that he would be anywhere that Guan could easily find him. So he won't be at his lair. He won't return to Jack's. He won't go back to the Land of Nowhere. We need to search where he _wouldn't_ be." Jiayi paused in her steps, contemplating this. "If you were an egotistical maniac, where would you _not_ go?" she asked, looking to her friends.

"Um…maybe the temple?" Kimiko frowned. "I really don't know. Did he ever say anything to you that would help?"

She rubbed the back of her head, frowning back at the girl. "Insane as he is…you really think we've ever had a _normal_ conversation? Does a cat talk with a mouse before it tears out the mouse's throat?" Kimiko shrugged. "Another thing. Just what is your plan? If I change forms…how will you keep up with me? I can't carry both of you."

Raimundo grinned. "I came prepared for that. I brought the Crouching Cougar and some other shen-gon-wu in case we all have to fight him."

"Wait. Did you ride on her back last time?" Kimiko saw them both blush and crossed her arms. "Really? Is it _that_ embarrassing? She was in tiger form!"

"Can we not talk about this?!" Jiayi began to walk faster and frowned. Freezing in place, she listened closely for movement around her, but heard nothing. A glance around showed her nothing. "I can…feel his presence."

"Can you pinpoint it?"

"I don't see him anywhere." The boy squinted at the forest around them.

She held up a hand to silence them and bared a fang. "He's near…"

"He probably won't come out since _we're_ here," Raimundo commented. "Between the three of us, we're stronger than he is."

"…it's not fear…" The immortal girl turned to look at them over her shoulder, amber eyes burning with anger. "Do you really think that he would be deterred by your presence? He would see it as a challenge. No…he has another reason. He must. But what is it…?"

Kimiko looked around warily. "Maybe he's planning another trap?"

"Can you really call that last time a trap? Jiayi knew what he was planning, right? He had to have known she wasn't stupid enough to go without knowing he was behind it." Raimundo brandished the Blade of the Nebula and shifted so his back was to Jiayi. "I don't like this. We should walk in a triangle, back to back so he can't sneak up on us."

 _Chase Young can move at superhuman speed. Do you really think he won't still be able to sneak up on you?_ Jiayi's hips swayed side to side in anticipation, still feeling his gaze on her. Kimiko moved to stand with her back to the other two and they began moving further into the forest. _Even if we try, we can't really be prepared for this. He's close, which is good. But Guan is getting closer, too. I can feel it. If he reaches us before we find Chase and get the mirror, it might ruin our chances of saving Jack. Chase won't stay here if Guan is here._

"So what's the plan then? If we see him, we rush him?" Kimiko asked. Though she refused to admit it, she was trembling ever so slightly with nervousness. At the back of her mind, she worried about what might happen when Chase did emerge. She had never seen Jiayi fight him. From what Raimundo told her, their battles were fierce.

"Rushing him…sounds so frenzied. No, I think we should develop a plan before he comes into view," Jiayi answered. "Raimundo. You have any ideas?"

He frowned, tightening his hold on his blade's grip. "Well, _you're_ the one he's after. When he does come out, he'll go after you. If you dodge backwards and pull him further down the path, we can attack from both sides. When we attack, you should try to grab him." Raimundo received a disgusted sigh in response. "I know you don't want to get close to him. I don't like the idea of that either, but that's what he wants and he knows that you don't like to be close to him. Getting close to him will throw him off-guard and then you can-"

"I can _what_? Just what do you think I should do once I get close to him?" she snapped.

"Grab him," Kimiko and Raimundo answered together.

"…it's what he wants…"

"I know that! But it's the best way to keep him in one place long enough for us to get the mirror from him!" The young man gritted his teeth and scanned the forest around them for signs of their target. He hated the thought of Jiayi getting close to Chase again. Seeing them close before had made his blood boil in a way that he did not quite understand.

Jiayi flexed her fingers, muscles tensing as she closed her eyes. "Fine. Just let me use my…ridiculous talent of _inadvertent seduction_ ," she stated with venom. _I can feel his gaze on me like it's burning a hole in my flesh. Where is he? The anticipation is killing me._ The group continued down the path in silence, each on high alert. Jiayi's eyes remained closed, opening her senses to everything around her. _It's been ten minutes. No sign of him. But I can still feel his presence. I can feel Guan's presence growing closer. What will he do when he gets here? I can't let him stop me from confronting Chase. I need to get the Reversing Mirror so I can save Jack._ Her eyes snapped open when a presence was suddenly right in front of her.

He appeared absolutely furious. Guan reached for her and she jumped back quickly, pushing the two monks to either side of her. They were uncertain of how they should react. Attacking Guan could be considered betrayal and he was frighteningly strong. Frowning down at her, he spared the others a glance. "Jiayi, you are being immature. Come back to the temple and wait." He saw her bare a fang and his frown deepened. "Do you know the danger that you are putting everyone in by being in this situation?"

"I refuse to sit around waiting for him! You know why he is doing this! He intends to let Jack die in that sphere and make me watch! He intends to provoke me!" she snarled.

"That is exactly why you must stop this. Go back to the temple and stay away from the Sphere of Yun."

Her eyes narrowed into a glare. "Perhaps you failed to hear me. I said _I_ _refuse_!"

"You do not have a choice!" It was now that he brandished his spear, taking on a fighting stance. "I do not wish to fight you, Jiayi Xun. Say that you will return to the temple peacefully or I will be given no choice. This is for the good of the world."

"The good of the world?" she scoffed. "Guan…you don't care how I feel. I can see that now. To you, I was _always_ evil, wasn't I? You've always treated me so carefully. Went to such lengths to hide me from other immortals. But in reality, you were hiding me from Chase Young. That was what this was about, wasn't it? You know that if I join him, we will be so powerful that you won't be able to stop us!"

"Jiayi, this is a bad idea," Raimundo spoke up. "Look, we should go back. Maybe he's already there."

"What are you saying?! Are you going to betray me as well? Kimiko, what about you?" Jiayi could see in the girl's eyes that she was fearful of how Jiayi was acting. A rush of evil pulsed through her veins as she saw Kimiko and Raimundo moving toward Guan. Her hips began to sway side to side, her fists tightening. "I see…all it takes to change your mind…and here I thought you were both on my side. Fine. But if you come at me, I _won't_ hold back."

That was all it took to make Guan rush forward with his spear. Jiayi was able to dodge his first attack, but the not the second. Her body was thrown backwards, sliding several feet back down the path. He followed closely and struck again and again. Few of her attacks hit him and she soon realized why. _He knows me too well. We trained together and he knows most of my moves. I could use my immortal powers, but…I don't want to hurt him. I really don't. We've been through too much for me to hurt him!_ Even as she thought this, his spear sliced across her midsection. Her shirt tore, her blood soaking the black fabric and she looked at him with wide eyes. "…Guan…"

He drew back his spear, planning to strike again, but was distracted by an attack from behind. As he turned to meet their attack, Jiayi rushed forward and latched onto his back. Her clawed hands sank into his flesh deeply, tears streaming down her cheeks at his betrayal. Over his shoulder, she could see Raimundo wielding the Blade of the Nebula and felt an odd sense of elation. Kimiko stood back, unsure of what to do in this situation. When Guan knocked Raimundo back, he threw Jiayi over his head. Her body flew through the air and smacked into a tree hard. The air was forced from her lungs and she lay gasping on the ground.

She was already worse for wear; covered in deep bruises and cuts. The slice across her chest was what pained her the most and made her move slower. _He's too strong for me to take down_ , she realized as he approached her. Raimundo was slowly recovering behind him, preparing to attack again. It would be too late. One more hit from the spear and she would be too weak to continue. _It might even knock me out. The pain. It might make me black out. I can't! I need to find Chase! I can't go back to the temple without the Reversing Mirror!_

Guan was standing over her now, the spear poised to strike a final blow. "I did not want it to come to this, Jiayi." There was sorrow in his words. It reflected in his face and made her chest feel tight with guilt. "I must bring you back to the temple before you can relapse to the Heylin side. This is how it must be. Please understand."

Jiayi watched him draw the spear back and braced herself for the immense pain to come. What she felt instead was an arm wrapping around her and her body being lifted into the air. Faster than she could blink, Guan was vanishing into the forest along with Kimiko and Raimundo. She stared vacantly at the receding landscape, knowing exactly what had happened. Though she had trouble accepting it. Her body was too weak to fight off her rescuer so she was forced to limply lay across his shoulder and watch the world pass by. "…don't drop me…"

Chase smirked and tightened his hold. "I wouldn't dream of it."

 **Shift P.O.V**

"What just happened?!" Raimundo was still in shock. One second Jiayi was there, about to be defeated by Guan, and suddenly she was gone.

Kimiko sighed in irritation. They were back at the temple, feeling rather defeated by their failure to retrieved the mirror. The added loss of Jiayi only made them feel worse. Raimundo was sitting away from the other monks, trying to ignore the way that Guan watched him for further signs of betrayal. "You _know_ what happened," she answered after a while. "He took her."

"We didn't even-! I mean, come on! Did he know that was going to happen?!"

"Probably." Kimiko glanced at Guan. He was beginning to pace. "What's going to happen _now_? That's what I'm more curious about."

"He will try to take Jiayi back to the Heylin side," Omi stated. "We must get Jiayi back before Chase Young makes her evil again! Why are we sitting here?"

Raimundo stood and looked over at Jack and Wuya. The red-haired boy was asleep, his head leaning against the glass. Wuya caught Raimundo's gaze and raised an eyebrow in question. He walked toward her, feeling safer now that Guan was preoccupied with Omi's inquiries. "You're coming with me. We're going to get Jiayi back," he said in a low tone.

"Oh really? You plan to betray your fellow monks a _second_ time today?" Wuya taunted. Despite this, she stood and brushed dirt from her dress.

"We need to get her back before something happens." He started toward the forest, receiving no protests from his friends and knowing that Wuya followed.

"One question. Are you willing to do whatever it takes?" She grinned evilly behind him as they entered the forest. The thought of tainting him once more elated her.

Raimundo frowned, his pulse racing as he thought of what might happen. "Whatever it takes," he agreed.


	16. Chapter 16

It was boring to watch her father work, but Jiayi knew that it meant she could be near _him_. The man who had, despite her best efforts, managed to grab and hold her attention. There was something about him that made her feel giddy and she could not seem to figure out what it was. She was perched on a bench in her father's workshop, observing him go over plans for a weapon with the man. He was smiling as Renshu assured him that it could be done and even improved. The smile was sweet, settling easily on his features, and it made her blush.

"Is Jiayi going to learn how to make weapons?" he asked her father.

"Of course not! Jiayi is going to marry a young man from the village and learn to sew fine clothes like her mother. Isn't that right, Jiayi?" Renshu looked at his daughter and frowned back at her. "Are you paying attention? You can't learn weapon crafting. No daughter of mine will make weapons for a living."

"Right…I heard you." She rolled her eyes and sighed, holding up both hands so her palms faced them. "Do these look like the hands of one destined to labor on weapons?" she recited in a monotone voice. Hearing a chuckle, she turned her head and blushed pink. _When did his friends get here?_

The man sometimes came to the Xun property alone, but often came with his two companions. One of them was giving her an amused half-smile now that made her feel ashamed. "We were just talking about this spear that Renshu is going to make. It's going to be great." Her crush smiled again, seeming to ignore the girl's embarrassment.

She bowed her head, letting her long black hair fall to hide half of her face. The girl nervously bit at her thumbnail, watching the tallest of the trio walk over to look at the plans. Her cheeks began to burn red as the third man walked over to stand beside her. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed and observing his companions. "…don't look so amused…it's annoying."

"It was amusing."

"It was _not_." Jiayi slouched and watched him from the corner of her eye. He was not looking at her, which made her feel slightly better. "…if you knew the whole truth of it…you wouldn't find it funny…especially if you were in my shoes," she stated.

"What is it then?" he inquired in a low, sincere tone.

She ruffled her hair and turned to him, her sharp brown eyes meeting his dark ones. "I'm…a _bargaining chip_. To further his career. You do realize that, don't you? I marry someone with money, or someone that offers him something great, and that's my life! That's my _purpose_! Why does it need to be that way?!" she hissed, not wanting her father to hear.

He looked down at her with sympathy in his gaze. "It doesn't need to be that way." A lock of long, black hair fell from behind his ear to frame the side of his face and he went to join his companions.

 **Present day…**

 _Why would he want to save me?_ Jiayi glared at him, her body leaning against a wall for support. She had only been to his lair once before this. Both times, she was in a battered condition. She could feel the cut across her chest very slowly healing itself. Her hand was pressed to the wound, ignoring all of her other injuries as they sealed up and healed.

Chase Young watched her intently. He knew that she would stay with him. She had no choice. He had the Reversing Mirror and she was aware of that. It was the only thing that could save Jack from a slow, agonizing end. Not that he would give it up easily. Not that he had a concrete plan now. Certain things had occurred that he had not anticipated. For instance, Kimiko's presence in the search party. He had been certain that only Raimundo would go with her, determined to be her hero. He had not expected her to fight Guan either. Worse, he had not expected Guan to fight her so fiercely. The monk was protective of her so Chase had thought that he would simply take her back to the temple. "He attacked you with such ferocity. What did you do to make him turn on you so quickly?" he taunted.

"He didn't-! I mean…he just…ugh!" The young woman ran her fingers through her hair, not sure of anything anymore. It had surprised her as much as it had surprised Chase. "He _does_ care about me! He won't let me just disappear!" He nodded his agreement. "When he comes-!"

"When he comes, we will fight him together and defeat him."

"I'm not going to join you!" she snarled. "I would _never_ join you, you egotistical maniac!" She blinked in alarm. He was crouching in front of her, gripping her chin firmly and smirking at the girl's look of surprise. "Wh-what? What are you staring at?!"

He closed the space between them and pressed his mouth against hers. The young woman's eyes went wide and he shifted his free hand to her shoulder. When he pulled away, he saw that her face had gone pink. "You owe me for saving you. In addition to this, you owe me something in exchange for the Reversing Mirror," Chase reminded her.

Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and she hated herself for having such a reaction. She hated that the kiss had left her feeling giddy. That it made her want more. Summoning forth her anger once more, she smirked. "Oh yeah? And just what do you expect me to do for you? I'm not evil."

The villain stood and began to walk away, pausing once to give her a summoning look over his shoulder. "Evil is in your blood. It was in your blood from the moment you drank the Lao Mang Lone Soup. You've just been suppressing it all these years." He waited until she was standing near him, giving him a skeptical look, before he smirked. "Did you really think that you could change sides and it would change you completely?"

"Guan made me believe it would work." She bit her lower lip and walked with him, albeit reluctantly. _I thought that he had my best interest in mind all these years. I thought he was on my side. It was a lie though, wasn't it? This whole time it's been a lie. What can I really believe anymore? I don't know. I don't know what to do anymore. I know that I need to save Jack. I love him too much to let him die in that sphere._

"He certainly says a lot of things, doesn't he? How do you really feel about him?"

Her hands curled into fists, remembering the way Guan had attacked her. How he had cut her across the chest and left her battered. How he could have done much worse. Then she remembered the despair in his features when he came close. There was a reluctance there that said he did not want to harm her. Jiayi crossed her arms and frowned. "I…don't know. He didn't want to hurt me…"

"But he _did_." They had come to a door now and he held it open for her. She entered, though she was wary of his movements. He followed her inside and closed the door behind him. Standing with his back against the door, Chase gave her a look of satisfaction. "You want the Reversing Mirror." She nodded. "I can give it to you for a price."

"And your price is?" Her hips began to sway subconsciously and she watched him raise an eyebrow. "What? It's…just a nervous reaction. Now tell me what you want so I can get this over with and leave." Jiayi jolted backwards when he was suddenly right in front of her.

His smirk returned and he braced a hand against the wall beside her head. "I want you to love me." Shock filled her bright amber eyes and then, to his pleasant surprise, she grabbed a handful of his long black hair. "Can I take that as a 'yes'?"

"You want me to say that I love you?" Her eyes narrowed and she licked her sharp canine teeth. "Such a simple, foolish request when _Wuya_ clearly loves you." She pulled sharply at his hair and received a groan of pleasure from the man. His hips pressed against hers, pushing her body back against the wall. _Inadvertent seduction…_

Chase leaned down to the side of her neck, his lips lightly brushing over her pale skin. "Did I say that I wanted you to _say_ that you love me? I said that I want you to love me." This was spoken in a low growl. "I want you to swear your loyalty to me. I want you to stay by my side for eternity. _That_ is what I want."

She smirked and pulled at his hair again. When he pressed harder against her, she knew that she had some control. "Well…I can't do that. I've already promised that to Jack."

"You were meant to be mine. We both know this to be true. We were meant to be together." His mouth latched onto the side of her neck now and he felt her body go rigid with fear. Her skin felt soft beneath his touch, her body squirming against his own.

Jiayi's mind was thrown into a panic at the feeling of his mouth against her skin. It sent waves of pleasure through her and she felt her hips subconsciously buck against his. Her face was turning bright red and she closed her eyes. "This…is _evil_ ," she murmured.

"But it feels right." The man pulled away to look at her and his smirk grew. There was a small bruise on her neck from where his mouth had been. She was blushing madly and it made him want more. "Admit that you enjoyed it."

She lifted a hand, biting nervously at her thumbnail. "Even if I did…that doesn't mean…" Her gaze was averted, trying to ignore the lust in his eyes. _It's unavoidable. Why did he make me feel that way?_ Before she could stop herself, she found herself pulling off her torn and bloody shirt. _It's like an instinct_ , she realized with anger. _Is it because we're both immortal? Why does he have this effect on me suddenly?_ She saw him removing his armor and blushed as she slipped out of her tattered clothes.

Her skin was paler beneath her outfit and riddled with battle scars. The girl's markings stood out even more and it pleased him immensely. He felt drawn to her for some inexplicable reason. She was fierce. Even now, standing with all of her skin bared to him, she looked vicious. When he drew her close to his bare flesh, she felt warm against him. A low growl emanated from him as he pushed her against the wall and latched his mouth onto hers.

She kissed back, amazed at how much better it felt now. Electricity seemed to spread from the kiss and ran through her veins. Her heart raced and she tentatively wrapped a leg around his waist. He smirked against her mouth and lifted her legs around him. She felt his member rub against her opening. _Why is it so warm? Was Jack's that warm?_ Guilt settled in the pit of her stomach as he pulled his hips back and thrust into her. "Ngh! C-careful!"

" _I_ am in control," he growled. His hands went to her hips, holding her in place as he slid out slightly and then pushed back in even harder. The way her face contorted, with such reluctant pleasure, only urged him on. He began to speed up, listening to the sound of her cries and watching her bite her lip in an attempt to smother moans. Leaning down to her ear, he nipped at her flesh. "By the end of this, you will be screaming my name."

"Ah! Y-you think so?" Smirking, she grabbed his hair in both hands and pulled. A groan left him, a mingling of agony and pleasure. When their eyes met, she felt her smirk evolve into a cruel grin. "You think…that I can't control you, Chase?" She lowered her legs to the back of his knees and forced him to the floor.

"This is not a game," the man snarled. She was sitting on his waist now, still wearing that wicked grin. He moved his hands to her hips once more, thrusting his hips up and pushing into her with force. "You think I can't dominate you from beneath you?" he taunted.

"There's that word again. You certainly love it, don't you?" Jiayi let her hips move slightly side to side and watched him throw his head back, eyes clenching shut. "Hm~? Is it that good?" Her grin spread to its limit now and she leaned down to his ear. "Chase…I have a question. Is the great Chase Young a virgin?" She was not surprised when her body flew across the room and she smashed into a wall. A cackle escaped her and she ran fingers through her long, dark blue hair. "Sorry…did I bruise your fragile ego?"

"I grew tired of that position," he answered from behind her. Before she could move, he lifted her onto his lap and pushed into her again. Both of them released a sound of pleasure and he wrapped his arms around her, smirking in satisfaction. "I think I prefer having all of the control. Now, I believe it would be wise if you move onto your knees."

Jiayi growled angrily and obeyed, only to feel him thrust into her hard. "Ngh! Don't-!"

"Your hands should be on the floor." He glared until she obeyed again, her body trembling in anxiety. Satisfied, he kept an arm wrapped around her waist to keep her in place and began to thrust into her once more. "Did you think that you could get away with insulting me like that?"

"Aaah! You don't have to be so rough!" She hated how he made her feel. Each thrust hit a spot within her that pushed her closer to the edge. The feeling of his member pushing in and out of her was nearly enough to make her scream. She hated how wet she had become and she knew that he had noticed. His hand moved from her stomach down to the bundle of nerves between her legs. A finger pressed against it and a loud cry escaped her. Release came, her muscles clenching tightly around his member, and he continued to pound his hips into the back of hers. Panting, she angrily pushed herself onto her knees. Every part of her was beginning to shake, but she ignored it. Her arms moved back, reaching to his hair, and she pulled hard.

Chase felt his heart beat even faster and he growled at the rush of pleasure that ran through his body. His hands found her chest, cupping her breasts as he thrust faster into her. The feeling of her pull at his hair and the wetness of her warm opening were quickly pushing him toward the edge. He was able to see her eyes now and stared into them as his release came. Her body shuddered against his, only her grip on his hair keeping her upright. He smirked down at the girl and ran a hand along her stomach, down to the wetness between her legs. "Don't think that we're done here, Jiayi Xun. I intend to claim every part of you."

She bared a fang and there was a flicker of malevolence in her eyes. "You…think you can claim _every_ part of me?" she teased. Her nails sank into his scalp, but it only seemed to cause him pleasure. He was growing stiff within her once more. "I think…you're _naïve_. If you think that this will make me love you. This is not love. This is not even lovemaking."

"What is this if it isn't love?" he challenged. Pressing against her bundle of nerves again, he saw her eyelids flutter half-closed. "What would you call this?"

"…sex…" He was rubbing the pleasurable spot in small circles now. Her hips rocked against his hand, soft moans leaving her. _Like in those erotica that Jack has. Not like the romance novels._ Chase slowly pulled out of her and then pushed back in, watching her face contort in pleasure. "…I won't love you…I'll _never_ love you so just…give up…"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" He changed their position so she was on her back on the floor, staring up at him in alarm. "We were meant to be together. How can you continue to deny that you were made to be mine?"


	17. Chapter 17

"So what can I do to save her?" He was quickly losing patience with Wuya's taunting. She had promised a way for him to keep Jiayi safe, but she was offering very little information.

"We know that he took her to his lair," she started. "The problem _now_ is defeating him and getting her back. Tell me, how desperate are you to rescue the girl?"

"I said it before! I'll do whatever it takes!" Raimundo persisted. "Tell me what I need to do to rescue her!"

The witch stared into the distance at the lair of Chase Young. She had a good idea of what would happen. He intended to draw out her inner evil. "Why do you want to save her? For the good of the Xiaolin side or for yourself?"

His face burned with a blush and he gritted his teeth. "It doesn't matter!"

"Yes it does. Whichever reason you have will determine how we approach this."

"Fine! I want to save her for my own reasons, okay? Now can we go?!"

"Even if it meant joining the Heylin side again?"

The question made him frown. It was not something that he wanted to think about. Not something that he wanted to admit to considering. Though the thought had crossed his mind more than once since meeting Jiayi. "I'm not saying that I will. But if I did, could I beat Guan?"

Wuya grinned evilly. "Why do you want to beat Guan?" She could see the evil flicker in his eyes when he looked toward her.

"To protect her from him! To avenge her! You didn't see the way he went after her!"

"Such fiery passion. You really could bring her back. Alright, let's go."

 **Shift P.O.V**

Jiayi dug her fingertips into the ground, her breath labored and her body trembling. His arm was around her midsection, his hips driving into the back of hers. She felt torn between wanting to tear him apart and wanting to push him down and grind against him. _I hate him so why does it feel so good?! Why? I hate him! I know I hate him!_

Chase let his hand shift up her abdomen to her chest, feeling her rapid pulse beneath his fingertips. "Where did you think you were going?" he taunted. She had moved as if to run from the room, but he had caught her. The sensation of being this close to her was intoxicating. To let her go now would leave him feeling empty inside. To let her leave at all was out of the question. "You still haven't screamed my name."

A loud growl left her, rivaling that of a tiger. "I will tear you apart if you don't let me go, Chase Young! I will rip open your chest and pull out your beating heart!"

"You want my heart? You can have it."

"Is that…supposed to be _romantic_?" she scoffed. Though she hated it, a rush of pleasure ran through her body and she arched her back. "I-I'm serious! Let go of me!" She felt his free hand beneath her chin, pulling her face to the side so she had to look at him. "Chase. Let go. Or I'll really make you hurt."

"I dare you to try it." He was not disappointed. She moved quickly and soon had him on his back, her claws sinking deep into his shoulder. Her free hand wove into his hair and pulled on it hard. He thrust his hips up against hers and watched her throw her head back for a moment. Her bright amber eyes were growing eviler with each second. He knew that she would soon be consumed by it. If he could only draw this out longer. Feeling her mouth on his neck, he growled lowly. "What do you intend to do now? Are you going to take my heart?"

"…don't I already have it…?" she teased. _He's never once said that he loved me. Not that I care. This isn't about love. It just feels good. But it needs to end. I have to get back to Jack so I can save him._ Her teeth scraped over his skin lightly and she swayed her hips. "Now. The Reversing Mirror, please. I have a mortal to save."

"I have no obligation to help you," Chase replied.

"Hm…fine. I'll just…turn into my tiger form…and tear your lair apart until I find the mirror." Jiayi stood and smirked down at him a moment before taking on her beastly form. Her tail swished side to side as she carefully moved around him toward the door.

He let her go, knowing that she would return when she was unable to find it. The villain waited for a long moment, determining his next move carefully. To let her escape the lair altogether was not an option. Now that he had her, he truly realized that they belonged together. It had been a simple idea to begin with, but to experience it was something else entirely. She made him feel something he had never felt before. Such satisfaction. Such hunger. He both hated and loved it.

She returned after several minutes and found him waiting for her. Chase was standing now, a smug look on his face. "Where did you hide it?" she demanded, rushing to get dressed. Her shirt was still ripped across the chest, sticky with old blood. It disgusted her. "If you don't tell me-"

"What will you do? If you tear my heart out, how will you know where the mirror is?" Watching the rage build in her eyes, he knew that he had her trapped once more. "Even if you do find it, do you think that you can return to the temple? Guan sees you as a bigger threat now. He could take you down so easily. If you join me, we can defeat him together."

"I refuse." Jiayi growled in frustration and resisted the urge to attack him. _If I do that, he might disappear again. Then what will I do?_ She offered a flirtatious smirk and approached him slowly, running a hand up his well-toned chest and tilting her head. "Chase…tell me where it is and I'll make it worth your while…"

"You already have." He gripped her wrist and held her hand against his chest, watching the unease take form in her gaze. "Why should I help you? The second you have the mirror, you intend to go back to Jack Spicer."

"He might die if I don't save him." She kept her tone light, not wanting to tempt him into refusing. If he knew how much this mattered to her, he would surely refuse to help. "Alright…you know that if you help me…it might help me love you."

He smirked. "I don't think so."

Jiayi tried to pull her wrist from his grip, but his hold tightened. "Guan will be looking for me. Do you really want to face him?"

"Do you really want him to see you with me this way?" he countered. "That fool dotes on you, after all. How will he react when he finds out that we-?"

"That's enough! It was…a lapse in judgement. Nothing more." She finally pulled free and took a step away from him. Tears of frustration were beginning to form in her eyes and she wanted to leave. He was watching her so closely and noticed when she blushed. _He's still…naked. Why?! Why is he just standing there like that?_

The sound of voices drifted to them down the hallway through the open door. Jiayi turned to the door and swayed her hips anxiously. _That's…Raimundo?_ A flash of a memory returned to her just then. _He betrayed Guan to protect me…_ Behind her, she knew that Chase was putting his armor back on. It almost made her want to laugh.

 **Shift P.O.V**

It was an odd sight. A sight that both frightened and amused the three young monks. Jack was awake now in the Sphere of Yun and stared in alarm at the spectacle. Raimundo had returned to the temple, riding on the back of a large blue tiger and brandishing the Blade of the Nebula. Jack watched this with wide, red eyes and wondered briefly if he should feel jealous. _He's riding on my girlfriend's back. My girlfriend, in the form of a tiger._ It was truly perplexing.

Something seemed different about the monk, but Jack was unable to place what it was. Raimundo dismounted from Jiayi's back and she changed to her human form, accepting the Reversing Mirror from him. She was soon in front of the Sphere of Yun and gave Jack a small grin before releasing the redhead. He instantly pulled her into a hug, tears forming in his eyes. _I thought I'd never see her again. When Wuya told me that she went after C.Y. I thought for sure that he would never let her go!_ He tried to pull away so he could look at her. So he could ask her if she was alright. She refused to release him, her arms wrapped around him and her cheek pressing against his neck. "Jiayi? Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Tears slid down her cheeks, wetting his neck and jacket. "…I'm fine…I was worried about you though…"

"What happened? Did you kill C.Y.?"

"…no…" Her voice was barely above a whisper and her body was shaking.

"Are you sure you're okay? You don't seem okay." Jack glanced over at Raimundo and felt a chill run down his spine. _Something isn't right_ , he realized. _What is it? What's wrong here?_ The monk was staring at them, even as Guan approached him for questioning. Even as he spoke, answering the questions without his facial expression changing. _We need to leave._

"…Jack…we can't stay here," she finally said. "I'm going to change shapes. Get on my back. Hold on tight. Keep your eyes and mouth closed."

He was reluctant to obey, fearful of what might happen, but was not disappointed when he suddenly found that they were at his house. The girl went in ahead of him, moving slowly and flopping weakly onto his bed when they reached his room. "Are you really sure you're okay?"

 **Shift P.O.V**

Her boyfriend looked terrified. Jiayi wanted to tell him that everything would be alright. _But that would be a lie, wouldn't it? What happened at Chase Young's lair…I can never tell Jack. I can't tell him any of it. He would feel hurt. He would feel scared._ She shifted an arm to lay across her eyes, her heart racing. The day had brought her such stress that she felt she could sleep for a thousand years.

Jack settled at her side, glad to stretch his limbs after being trapped for so long. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he assured her. His arms tentatively wrapped around her, pulling the girl close. "I'm just glad that you came back."

"I'm glad…that you're free now." She kissed his cheek and closed her eyes. _I can't sleep. I need to protect Jack. Chase might come here tonight. Or…worse._ Jiayi absently bit her thumbnail, brow furrowed. "Your video surveillance system…"

"It's on right now."

"How late does it run?"

"It runs twenty-four hours a day. Why?" He looked at her with worry and it did not diminish when she offered a shaky smile. "Jiayi, should I be worried?"

"We…wounded him. If he does come here, it won't be for a while," she tried to reassure him. "Just…don't worry about it. I know. I'll make you some food. You must be starving." She got up and wandered over to her box of clothes, searching for a clean outfit to wear. Jiayi settled on a black t-shirt and a short black skirt. _Will the others be okay though? I'm worried about their safety as well. They might be in worse danger because they don't know…_

Jack followed her to the kitchen and watched her cook. From the way she stared longingly at the bowl of ramen she put in front of him, he could tell that she was hungry as well. "Did you eat at all since I went missing?"

She snorted. "…do you believe you're the center of the universe…?" she teased him. "No, I did not eat. Because you are, for me, the center of the universe." He blushed and started to eat, which made her grin. "You should consider yourself very lucky. Before you, I have only fallen in love once."

"Wait. You do love me? Like _really_?"

The girl rubbed the back of her neck. "Well…yes. Don't act so surprised."

He grinned back at her now. "No, I mean. I'm really happy to hear that you love me. It would be weird if I loved you and you didn't love me. Uh…I mean…"

She stretched her arms over her head and sighed. "That is what we call 'unrequited love'. I assure you, I'm quite familiar with the concept." The girl tilted her head when Jack gave her a curious look. "What?"

"When you said 'we wounded him'. Who helped you?"

"Hm…it was a team effort. Me, Raimundo, and Wuya. We all attacked him at once."

"But Wuya's powers are still locked, aren't they? So-"

Jiayi held up a hand. "Don't. Please. I don't want to talk about it." She leaned back in her seat, closing her sharp amber eyes. Her mind was wandering from the memory of Chase's body against hers to the memory of what had taken place before leaving the lair. It made her shiver. _Surveillance cameras or not, I need to be vigilant. I won't sleep tonight. I might not sleep tomorrow night. I can't risk something happening to Jack again._

"Sorry about getting stuck in that sphere. I shouldn't have gone with him," Jack finally said. He hated to admit that he had willingly gone with Chase Young, especially after everything that Jiayi went through to free him. There were still parts of the story that he did not know and he was not sure that he wanted to know about them.

"It's fine. But out of curiosity…why did you go with him? Did he offer you candy?"

He stuck out his tongue and she snickered. "No! He said that he was going to show me something. I knew pretty soon that it was a trap!" Jack frowned down at his ramen. "I mean, it took me a while. I didn't realize until we got to the Land of Nowhere."

Curiosity made her half-grin. "What did he promise to show you?"

"It's not like that!" His face turned as red as his hair and he dropped his fork. "Don't jump to conclusions! He said he found something related to you and I thought it might…" This part shamed him the most. "I thought it might be that guy. The one you turned evil for."

"He's gone. Forever. And I…don't care anymore." Jiayi met Jack's gaze with a steady look of determination. "Even if he suddenly appeared before me…with open arms and ready to forgive me…offering me love…I wouldn't care. He no longer means something to me."

"Are you sure? It's okay if you're not over him."

"It's fine. I'm…fine. Don't worry about it." She glanced out the window, feeling a bit uneasy. _If he comes here, what am I going to do? Can I fight him alone? What will happen if he defeats me?_

Jack continued to eat his meal and went down to the basement after a while, leaving her to sit alone in silence and stare out the window. He sat with his shen-gon-wu chart and felt as though he was being watched. Shivering, he looked over his shoulder to find that he was alone in the basement. Suddenly, he began to wonder if Jiayi was more worried about Chase or Raimundo attacking.


	18. Chapter 18

Note: I might have embellished the Lunar Locket's power a little. I have no access to the episodes so I go by memory and online research. Anyway...I hope you like this new chapter. The next one will be even better. I promise.

* * *

 _He never needs to know what happened._ Jiayi was standing outside, eyes closed against the bright sunlight as it warmed her face. Over the past week, she had refused to leave Jack's house. She refused to speak about what occurred the day she freed Jack from the Sphere of Yun. "Jack…how much longer must I stand here waiting?" she finally asked.

"Just a second! I finally found it!"

The joy in his voice made her half-smile. "Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"Of course! Look, _he_ got to do it, right?" Jack saw her begin to frown. "I know that he did! This is going to be great; I promise!"

Jiayi's eyes opened, shining a brilliant amber in the sunlight. She stretched her arms over her head, yawned, and examined her boyfriend for a moment. Jack had been in high spirits since being freed, but this was a new level of elation that was nearly contagious. _However ridiculous it might be. This could be fun_ , she thought. Tossing her jacket to him, she raised an eyebrow. "Are you ready then?"

"Are you kidding?! Let's do this!" He tied her jacket around his waist and lifted the staff in his hand. "Monkey Staff!"

She shifted into her tiger form, muscles stretching and bones popping pleasantly. When she looked over at Jack, she had to stifle a laugh. _So it really does turn you into a monkey? What was I expecting when he said 'Monkey Staff'?_ Jiayi saw the cautious look on his face as he approached her and she allowed herself to snicker. "Just because you look like a monkey…doesn't mean that I'll eat you. I'm not a real tiger."

"I know! It's just…kind of scary." Jack carefully climbed onto her back and settled in comfortably. His tail wrapped around the staff and he put his arms around her. "Alright. I can do this."

"You do realize…you're just riding on my back. _I'm_ doing the hard part here." She smirked and let her tail swish back and forth. "Lunar Locket!" He held on tighter as lightning began to strike around them. "Yes, this is _absolutely necessary_!" Jiayi bounded forward down the road, reveling in the sensation of air rushing through her fur. The sound of thunder and lightning only urged her to run faster. She passed through cities and towns, filling the citizens with fear at the sight of a large monkey riding on the back of a blue tiger, surrounded with lightning.

Jack gradually opened his eyes and gaped at the swiftly passing landscape. They had passed the urban areas and were now racing through a field of tall grass and boulders. Cattle rushed to get out of their way and he released a laugh. She seemed to be in a good mood that day. He had hoped that this would cheer her up; she had been acting a little strangely since freeing him from the Sphere of Yun. Of course, the idea to do this had come to him when he was half-asleep. He had written it down and when he read it the next morning, it made very little sense. But when she read it, she smiled. Now he knew that his plan was working. She released a roaring laugh that made the cattle run even faster.

 _This…feels great. Why? I can feel it. Evil. It's rushing through my veins right now because I know it's not right to do this, but it feels so good!_ Jiayi leapt high into the air to get over a boulder and heard Jack shout triumphantly. The cattle were wailing pitifully as they tried, and failed, to outrun her. "Where are we going?" she called over the rush of air.

"Uh…" He frowned, having not thought this far ahead. "Maybe the Xiaolin Temple? Yeah! Yeah, let's go scare those losers!"

"Excuse me? You do remember what side I'm on, don't you?"

"Er…yeah, but you're my partner, right?"

She paused in her steps, tail swishing back and forth. "Jack…we'll continue slowly for a while. We need to talk." Instantly, she felt his fingers dig deeper into her dark blue and black fur. "Not about us. It's…about something else."

Jack could hear it in her voice. Anxiety. Almost fear. He wondered if she would finally tell him about what happened before he was released from the sphere. "What's wrong? Did C.Y. do something to you?"

Jiayi winced and was glad that he could not see it. "This…is not about Chase Young." She could feel him relaxing slightly. "I have a question about the monks. When I was taken, what did they do?"

He sat up straight on her back, his brow furrowing. "Uh…well Guan came back with Kimiko and Raimundo. I was pretending to be asleep. I didn't like the way they kept glaring at me. Anyway, I guess they were upset. Guan kept pacing and Kimiko was trying to find your phone signal or something."

"And Raimundo?"

"He was pretty mad and Guan told him to stay at the temple. Something about what happened while he was gone. What did happen?"

"…doesn't matter…just continue…"

"Okay. So he was talking to the others and suddenly came over and told Wuya to go with him. She said something about him betraying someone," Jack finished. "So what happened? Does this have to do with what Chase was saying? About Raimundo trying to be your hero?"

Without warning, Jiayi started to run again. He held on tightly, heart racing with fear. _Hero?! I need no hero! I'm strong on my own! But Guan…_ She recalled the despair in his eyes when he fought her. The reluctance he showed before aiming for the final attack. The young woman shook her head. "Fine. Xiaolin Temple it is then."

 **Shift P.O.V**

"Huh? Where'd that lightning come from? It was sunny just a second ago."

"I don't know. The forecast didn't say anything about lightning." Kimiko looked out at the sky and her eyes widened. Normally, lightning struck when it was cloudy. The sun was still out and shining brightly, but there was an intense amount of lightning striking in the distance. It seemed to concentrate around one small area and almost seemed to be moving toward them. "Okay, that's really weird. Do you think it's-?"

"Something evil? I bet you're right," Clay agreed, tipping his hat forward to shade his eyes. He stared at the mass of electricity and frowned.

"We should go to it before it reaches the temple!" Omi announced, ready to fight.

"No way. We're not supposed to leave the temple," Kimiko stated. "Has anyone seen Rai? I haven't seen him since breakfast."

Before anyone could answer, Dojo coughed to grab their attention once more. "Before I was rudely interrupted, I was trying to say that Master Monk Guan left something really important here. He said to keep it safe until he comes back so-"

"The Blade of Renshu?" Kimiko read the label over his shoulder. "Is it a shen-gon-wu?"

"Not _officially_ , but it could be considered a pseudo-shen-gon-wu."

"Pseudo? So what does that mean?"

"It's a sword that can summon ice," Dojo bluntly replied. "It's just not in the scroll. It was made by a legendary blacksmith. Renshu Xun. I met him once. He was pretty cool."

Clay's eyes were now going wide as he stared at the horizon. He felt his mouth falling open slightly and reached over to tap Kimiko's shoulder. "You reckon _that's_ evil?"

She turned to look and snorted. Her face turned red and she covered her mouth, her body shaking with laughter. "Wh-what are they doing?!"

Omi followed her gaze to find a Monkey Staff-wielding Jack Spicer riding on a tiger Jiayi with lightning striking around them wildly. He burst into laughter, falling to his knees.

 **Shift P.O.V**

 _Good to know. So the next time I need to horribly take people by surprise, I'll just do this_ , she thought with humor as she shifted back to her human form. Jiayi accepted her black hooded jacket from her boyfriend and grinned mischievously. "Sorry everyone…I couldn't help myself. Is Guan here?"

"He left earlier, but he'll be back…" The small green dragon stared at her for a moment before looking away. "Not _you_."

"Hm? Oh…I'm sorry. Do I _offend_ you in some way?" Her hips swayed back and forth, her short black skirt swishing with the movement.

"You know each other?" Kimiko glanced from the dragon to the other girl.

" _This_ one! Is _she_ the one everyone's been making a fuss about?! Really?" Dojo turned toward Jiayi with a look of disdain. "She's a _creep_!"

"Oh…am I really?"

"What kind of creep follows someone else's master around and goes so far as to become evil just to get them to notice you?! You were always _watching_ him! Like a _creep_!"

She raised an eyebrow and leaned down toward him. "Hm, but you know…Dojo, right? You know that you're just as creepy as me." Jiayi listened to the three monks question her and the dragon, but froze when a figure appeared in the doorway. _There he is. I wondered when he would make an appearance._

Raimundo walked past everyone, not sparing a glance at her, and went to the edge of the forest. Jack watched this and gave Jiayi a curious look. She shrugged and he wanted to dismiss this, but it still bothered him. There was something 'off' about the monk.

"You should go talk to him," Kimiko spoke up. "I'll go with you. I mean, I don't know what happened when he left that day, but he hasn't been acting the same. And no one's seen Chase Young. Did you guys kill him or something?"

Jiayi began to walk toward the young man, keeping a leisurely pace so Kimiko could keep up with her. "Kill…? Are you joking? Even together, I doubt we could kill him. And anyway…I'm not sure he'll talk to us. Look at him." The young man was now sitting in the grass, staring almost vacantly out at the forest. _We didn't kill Chase Young. We only wounded him. Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't come after us yet. Not that I'm worried in any way._

The two girls paused a few feet behind the boy and observed him. He made no move to turn around. "Hey, Rai? You okay?" Kimiko called to him. He remained still, not even glancing over his shoulder. "Jiayi's here. Did you see her when she got here? It was hilarious!"

"…yeah, a real riot…" he muttered in reply.

Kimiko beamed. "There he is. Why don't you turn around? We can talk about what happened." She saw him tense. "Or not. We don't have to talk about that. We can talk about whatever you want to talk about, Rai. We just don't like to see you this way. You haven't been yourself lately."

"Alright." He turned toward them and met Jiayi's gaze directly. There were dark circles around his eyes and a certain wickedness to his stare. "Let's talk about _him_ then. Let's talk about the guy you were in love with, Jiayi." Raimundo watched her half-smile fall to a deep frown and stood. He took a few steps toward the girls and frowned back at them when he realized that they were stepping away from him. "What's wrong? I thought you wanted to talk. You said we could talk about whatever I wanted. I want to know what made you fall in love with that guy."

She narrowed her eyes and took another step back. "Look…now isn't the time. Or the place." The more she looked at him, the more anxious she began to feel. _I know what it is. I saw it for myself last week. Evil. It's in his eyes…in the way he's talking. But why? He hasn't done anything horrible yet. He's redeemable. If I can just figure out how. If Guan was here…_

"Master Monk Guan! We protected the Blade of Renshu as requested!" Omi said loudly.

Jiayi released a nervous laugh. "Hear that…? Guan's back. I need to talk to him so…if you'll excuse me. We'll just have to pick this back up later, hm?"

Guan greeted her with a nod when she approached him. There were many things that needed to be said, but would go unspoken. She knew that he regretted fighting her and she regretted fighting him. She regretted running away and he regretted not trusting her. "I suppose you heard that the Blade of Renshu is here."

She looked at the sheathed sword in his hands and raised an eyebrow. "…what _about_ it?"

"Your father created this weapon. I believe that you should have it."

Jiayi glanced from him to the blade and back. "Alright…but why? Why should I need a blade? I have claws." Tucking her hands into her pockets, she awaited his explanation. Everything he did, he did for a reason. Though she was curious as to why the blade had never been offered to her before.

Guan's gaze went momentarily to Raimundo. The young monk was still standing several feet away from the building and seemed to be fixated on them. "Due to certain…new circumstances...I believe it would be safer for you to carry a sword."

 _What you mean is, if I have to fight Raimundo, I should use a weapon equal to his rather than risk gutting him with my claws._ She nodded and accepted the sheathed blade. "Thanks…and I'm sorry about how I acted before."

"I apologize as well for not trusting you." They were both watching Raimundo now as he started toward them. "If you must use this blade, be sure to use it wisely. I trust that you remember its power."

"I remember my father messing with it in the snow…" she replied with humor. When the young man was close, she saw a brief smirk flash across his face before he passed her and walked to his room. _What exactly happened? Jack said that he walked off with Wuya. What did they do? Did she corrupt him?_ Jiayi put the sheathed sword over her shoulder and tilted her head. "I don't know what happened…but it can't be good. There's a storm brewing there."

"I agree. That is why I will stay here to keep a close watch over the young monks. Though I would prefer that you stay here as well, you are free to do as you wish."

She yawned widely and grinned when he gave her a perplexed look. "Well you know…I'd rather not be separated from Jack if I can help it."

"You are still certain that are happy with him?"

Her grin grew almost terrifying. "Of course. Hm…you missed my big appearance today. I came in with Jack on my back and lightning striking around me." Instantly, Guan's frown deepened. "Well…it's funnier than it sounds. You had to have been here to see it," she said with a shrug. As she started to walk away, intending to rejoin Jack and plan their next move, she could feel eyes locked on her. Every sway of her hips, every step, every swish of her long, dark blue hair. It was all being taken in with eyes that burned a hole in her back. _So…who is it now?_


	19. Chapter 19

Jiayi jolted awake, staring at the ceiling and sweating from her nightmare. A glance to her left showed that Jack was still asleep, his pale face turned toward her and a little drool running from the corner of his mouth. _I'm…alright. Everything is fine_ , she told herself silently. _I'm at the house with Jack. I'm…safe. We're both safe._ Running a hand through her hair, she scowled. The nightmare had left her heart pounding and she hated it. The sensation made her feel weak. Walking to the window, she stared outside at the morning sky. It was a faint pink on the horizon with the rising sun.

She showered, washing away the fear sweat, and dressed in a pair of black jeans, a t-shirt, and a black hooded sweatshirt. Buckling her boots, she glanced over at Jack again. He was still asleep, his fingers twitching every so often. _He'll be fine. That egotistical cretin wouldn't dare try to steal him again so soon._

Making her way up to the roof, she sprawled on her back and stared at the distant sunrise. After the nightmare, she knew that there was no hope of falling asleep once more. It had been absolutely wretched. Worse than her usual bad dreams and memories. "…if I could just…forget the past completely…" she muttered. "If I could, I doubt it would bring me peace." The sudden appearance of a bird, flying from the nearby treetops to circle the roof, made her tense. Reaching to her pocket, she felt around for the hard candies that Jack had supplied her with. If need be, she could throw a few to force it to land. "If you're going to land…you might as well get it over with."

The creature landed beside her and tilted its head, blinking its disturbingly intelligent eyes at her in puzzlement. When the girl cautiously reached over to stroke its head, it closed its eyes in bliss. "Ain't that the sweetest thing? I knew she'd remember you sooner or later," Hannibal said from the bird's back.

Jiayi rolled her eyes. "Yes…how very touching. Did you need something?"

"You too busy to talk to your old friend?"

"We were never friends and you know it. So what do you want?"

He hopped down from the bird and smirked. "I just wanted to talk. Sounds to me like you're startin' to fulfill your purpose." Seeing her raise an eyebrow, his smirk became a malevolent grin. "You think I'm not keepin' tabs on you, girl? An important investment like you? Gotta make sure I benefit from helpin' you all those years ago."

Her face turned red as realization hit her. "You're…talking about _him_."

"That's right. You finally got him to-"

"It's not…I mean, it was a serious lapse in judgement!" Jiayi snapped, drawing her knees to her chest. The bird hopped onto her left knee and rubbed its face against her cheek, but it did nothing to quell her embarrassment.

"Well I think it's great that you finally managed to seduce him. All that's left now-"

"I'm not…doing that again. Ever." She stretched her arms over her head, briefly startling the bird. It soon settled itself once more on her knee. "He's a cretin."

"He's _your_ cretin now!" Hannibal chuckled, ignoring the disgusted look that she gave him. "You really oughta go see him again. It's fun watchin' you two fight." He got onto the bird and took to the air, leaving Jiayi to glare at his retreating form.

 _Just what does he think will come of this? Does he think that he'll tell me to tell Chase Young to do something and he'll do it? I know for a fact that it would never work that way._ She jumped down from the roof and grimaced upon finding Jack awaiting her. "So…how long were you down here?"

Jack's face was faintly pink, already answering her question before he spoke. "Er…you seduced Chase Young?" Strangely, he did not look angry. He looked puzzled, curious.

"I-I didn't…I mean, I didn't _want_ to…I didn't…ugh!" She rubbed her eyes, scowling. Behind her hands, her face was bright red. "Jack…I don't love him. You know that I love you, right? There was no love involved in what happened between me and him."

He stepped closer to her, taking her hands and pulling them away so he could look in her eyes. They were shining with unshed tears of remorse. "I know you love me," he replied, still blushing. "I just…I mean, what did he do?"

"We're not talking about this!" Jiayi took a few steps back, pulling out of his hold. "Just…forget that it happened, alright? Because it's never going to happen again! It was a lapse in judgement!"

For a moment, his face contorted with a frown and it seemed as though he had more to say. Instead, he changed the subject to one he knew she would like. "I finished that strap for your dad's sword. It's downstairs. Want to see it?"

Perplexed by this turn of events, she tilted her head. "I suppose. As long as it isn't-"

He grinned and took her hand in his. No matter how often he held her hand, he was always surprised by how dainty it was. Not at all like what a fierce warrior's hand should be like. "I know! It's nothing too flashy, but I made it to represent you. You'll see. It's really cool." When he finally had her in the basement, he motioned toward the cloth-covered object on the lab table. "Check it out! It took me a few days, but I think it's awesome!"

Her tears were gone, her despair replaced with amusement. Happiness. He was trying his best and she really did appreciate it. "Alright, let's see this awesome sword strap." Jiayi lifted the cloth and her amber eyes went wide. "…wow…"

"I know, right?! Isn't it perfect?"

"It…really is. This is _amazing_." She lifted the strap, feeling the weight of it. The sword strap was made of a lightweight black leather, but seemed sturdy. The sheathed blade was already on it, locked on with a digital mechanism of some sort that had a blue tiger face on it. Along the length of the strap were electric blue synthetic claw marks and tiger faces. At the part that would cross her chest, there was a small red heart charm. Slipping the sword strap on, she found that it settled right over her own heart. Beaming, she turned to give Jack a hug. "You're the best," she whispered, rubbing her cheek against his neck.

His blush instantly returned. "N-no problem. I just wanted to do it." Jack tried not to think about how her chest was pressed against his. Even through her sweatshirt, he could feel it and it made him shift uncomfortably.

"Hm…?" Jiayi instantly took notice of the change in him. Her hips pushed against his, earning a quiet grunt from the young man. "Jack…are you getting _excited_?" she taunted. His face turned a bright shade of red and she half-grinned. "How should I repay you for this gift then, Jack? Something you want?"

"Uh…you know you don't-" The redhead yelped when she pushed him into one of the chairs. She stood there for a moment, wearing that catlike grin and swaying her hips. He watched her place the sword and strap on the lab table, her eyes never leaving him. "Jiayi?"

She slowly pulled off her sweatshirt and t-shirt, licking her sharp canine teeth. When her jeans and boots were discarded as well, she settled on his lap with her legs to either side of his waist. The young woman's arms went around his neck, her cheek rubbing against his briefly. "Jack…I want to do this. It has been a while, hasn't it? Over a week." He nodded, carefully putting his hands on her hips. "Besides…don't you want to reclaim what's yours?"

Jack smirked, feeling his courage slowly returning. "Tell me what you want, Jiayi."

"I…want you…to fill me up," she whispered, snickering at the words. Her brief laughter was cut off sharply with a yelp when he stood, lifting her so her legs were around him. He moved toward the stairs and her arms tightened around him. "Where are you taking me?"

"We're not doing this down here. The door doesn't actually lock anymore."

Jiayi tried not to laugh, but simply could not help it. She hung on tightly as he carried her up to his room. To her slight irritation, he set her down on the bed and started to slowly get undressed. _Are you serious? I start things and now you want to go as slowly as humanly possible._ Smirking evilly, she waited until his shirt and jacket were off before grabbing his belt and tugging him closer to the bed. "Need help?"

He was still faintly blushing and scowled. "No, I've got this!" Despite his protests, he still took longer than she would have liked and by the time he joined her on the bed, she was quietly growling. "What? Are you that eager to start?" he teased.

"You know that I am," she replied before pushing him onto his back. She shed her bra and panties before settling on his waist, running a hand down his pale chest. As hard as she tried not to, she found herself subconsciously comparing him to Chase. _He's paler…less muscle…but I like it. I love the way he blushes. The way he squirmed the first time we did this._ Her fingertips drew further down his body, sending a shiver through him. "Hm? Something you like?"

"You know I like that!" Jack protested. "Stop teasing me already!"

She half-grinned and shifted further back. Her fingers wrapped around his member and gave it a light squeeze, earning a sharp cry from him. "Always so _sensitive_." She pumped it a few times, watching his face contort in pleasure. He was gritting his teeth, trying to remain calm as her soft palm ran over his most sensitive skin. When she knew that it was becoming unbearable, she lifted herself and slid him into her. Both released a low moan and she felt Jack's arms wrap around her. He pulled her down so her chest pressed against his and the young woman's eyes went wide. _I can…feel his heart. Racing._ Jiayi felt a shiver run along her spine.

Jack thrust up and deeper into her, not waiting for her to start moving first. He had been craving this for longer than he cared to admit. Even while in the sphere, thoughts of how Jiayi's body felt were constantly popping into his head. She was wetter than usual, soaking his cock quickly and making it easier to slide in and out of her. The intense warmth added to his pleasure, urging him to push deeper and deeper into Jiayi. The feeling of her bare chest pressed against his, her heart beating just as fast as his own, made him thrust faster.

She panted, her lips beside his ear and listening to his euphoric sounds as he drove his hips against hers. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she pushed herself to sit back on his waist. He instantly blushed at the sight of her chest bouncing with each thrust, but she smirked and reached down to stroke the side of his face. "Jack…I love you so much…more than I could ever have loved him…"

"A-are you serious?" He did not want to be distracted. Climax was so near already.

"Of course." Her long, dark blue hair fell over half of her face and she grinned. One hand ran up and down his chest, feeling his pulse beneath her fingertips. His pale skin was glistening with a light layer of sweat, but she did not mind. _He's…perfect for me. I know he is._ She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips before moving down to his neck.

He felt his climax drawing even closer, but was unsure now. To climax now would mean ending this. As desperately as he wanted to feel his euphoria peak, he wanted this moment with Jiayi to last. Holding her tightly, he turned them so she was lying on her back. Her dark blue hair fanned out over the pillows and she gave him a curious look. His only warning was a smirk before driving himself back into her. Jiayi threw her head back, growling in pleasure. "You said you want me to fill you up," he taunted.

"Ngh! Y-yeah, but…isn't this sort of…" Her pleasure had been steadily increasing and now it washed over her as she climaxed. The young woman's hands dug into the blanket's surface, clawing at it as he continued to thrust into her.

The young man could feel it when she reached her peak. It was so much warmer than he remembered and when he felt her muscles clench around him, it took all of his self-control to not join her. Reminding himself that he wanted to draw this out, he grinned wickedly. "What's wrong? Your words got a little hard to understand."

"Sh-shut up," she snapped half-heartedly. A very evil thought came to her just then. It would be a small, but horrible revenge if she wrapped her legs around him and forced him to keep still. Shaking her head, she giggled. _No. That's just a little too evil._

"What's so funny?" He thrust harder and listened to the loud moan that escaped her.

"It…doesn't matter. Aaaaaaah! Jack, please-!" Jiayi saw his smirk grow and instantly began to worry. He grabbed her right leg and put her knee over his shoulder, pushing in deeper than before. Much deeper. "Jack! Aaaaah! Ngh! Jack, this is too much!"

Hearing her moan his name almost sent him over the edge, but he held on. Jack's grip on her leg tightened. "Ngh! Jiayi, just…a little…" His climax came, his body shaking before it fell against her own. Her muscles clenched around him, squeezing every last drop from him. His face turned toward hers, his head resting on the pillow beside Jiayi's head.

The immortal closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against his. Her pale fingers ran through his bright red hair and she snickered. "So…thanks for the sword strap."

"I feel like I should have made it fancier now," he joked.

The two separated and Jiayi walked to the shower. Standing beneath the hot water, she frowned and released a frustrated sigh. _I shouldn't…be comparing them. But it's hard not to. Now that it's happened, it's hard not to think of Chase Young that way._ Jiayi finished washing away the sweat and leaned her head against the tiled wall. It felt slightly cold against her warm skin. _I think Jack is better. Because I love him and I know that he loves me._

Jack was standing outside of the shower, blushing a little. "Uh…what should we do today? Do you want to go to the Xiaolin Temple again?"

"Hm…I don't know. Maybe." Her frown deepened. She found her mind wandering to what Hannibal had said. About Chase being hers. _I don't want him. Right? He's an egotistical cretin. He could have killed Jack when he trapped him in that sphere._

"We could steal some shen-gon-wu. Oh! We could do that tiger and monkey thing again! That was fun, right?"

She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself, watching his blush brighten. _Every time. No matter how often we sleep together, he still blushes like that. It's adorable!_ Jiayi grinned. "I have an idea."

"What? Are you going to show me more of your powers? I heard that you used them in the Land of Nowhere when you were fighting C.Y."

"No. And please don't mention him again. No, I have something else planned. I think maybe…I should find a worthy opponent to spar against. Give the Blade of Renshu some much needed practice. The last time my father wielded it was centuries ago."

He watched her walk back to the bed, her hips swaying. "Who are you going to spar with? You think those Xiaolin losers would-?" Seeing her glare at him, he winced. "Right. Sorry. I didn't mean it."


	20. Chapter 20

"Ugh! How did it get this hot today?! It was supposed to be _cloudy_!" Kimiko flopped onto her back in the grass beside the others, sighing in annoyance. "Omi, how can you stand wearing the robes in this heat?"

Raimundo listened to them talk back and forth about the heat, not quite sure why he had left his room. True, it had been stiflingly warm. Though he had enjoyed the solitude. The young man was sitting in the grass with his friends, but his mind was a million miles away.

Kimiko had noticed, of course. She was just glad that he had finally left his room. He was still sulking. Reflecting on the past events, she was fairly certain that Jiayi was the cause. The moping had begun shortly after he went to help her. It was almost as if he was disappointed. As if he had expected something to happen.

He tugged at the collar of his shirt, wondering if it would have been better to stay in his room. The air outside felt warmer. Painfully warm. He let himself fall back in the grass and crossed his arms behind his head, eyes closing. "We should go somewhere cool."

The others perked up, all turning in his direction with interest. "Where should we go?" Kimiko asked. "Is there anywhere in particular you want to go? Like a beach or-?"

"I reckon we could go to a pool somewhere," Clay chimed in.

"Or a river! We could catch fish and-!" Omi cut himself off, beaming.

"Hm…? What's this? You're going somewhere?" Jiayi asked.

Raimundo's eyes snapped open and he realized that she was standing over him, wearing a mischievous half-grin. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Oh…don't look so excited to see me," she teased. "I was just hoping that there was a sword master here that I could spar with."

He pushed himself to sit up, looking her up and down. Her long, dark blue hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she was wearing black shorts and a black tank top. To his embarrassment, he felt his face heating faintly with a blush. "What do you need to spar for? I thought you just used your claws."

Jiayi tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "Oh…? So you're not up to it, hm? Such a shame, really." The young woman's hips swayed side to side, her grin growing when Raimundo stood. "So…what do you say, Rai? Spar with me?"

 **Shift P.O.V**

"Fine." The young man got to his feet, standing taller than her and smirking down at her. "Let's make it interesting."

"What's more interesting than fighting with swords?"

"No using the sword's power. Just natural sword skills." He saw her nod and he crossed his arms. "The first one to fall to the ground loses."

She absently toyed with her sword strap and felt her look of satisfaction begin to falter. "And? What does the winner get?"

"One thing of their choosing." Raimundo saw the reluctance in her pale face and his smirk grew. "What? Are you too afraid to spar with me now?"

Jiayi gritted her teeth and shook her head. "No way. Do I look like a chicken to you?"

"You look more like a _scared cat_."

She snickered and held up a steady hand. "Oh yes…would you look at that trembling? Do you think you can scare me? Let's take this to the forest's edge." He went to get a sword and left her alone with Clay, Omi, and Kimiko.

"Will you really spar with him?" Omi asked before the others could.

"It does seem kind of dangerous. You know the mood he's been in lately," Kimiko pointed out. "Hey, where's Jack today?"

"Prob'ly thought it was too hot outside," Clay remarked.

"Well…you know he only wears black. I insisted on him staying behind. Besides…this is sort of _my_ responsibility." She saw their curious looks and shook her head. "I don't think now is the time to discuss this. Let's suffice it to say, I know that he wants something from me. What it is, I don't know."

There was a short, awkward pause as the four glanced toward the temple. Raimundo was already on his way back to them. "Can I see the Blade of Renshu?" Omi gave her a look so full of hope that it made her stomach hurt.

She glanced from the sheathed blade to the young monk and raised an eyebrow. "Omi…aren't you the dragon of water?" He nodded eagerly. "Right so…an ice sword would be kind of your thing, wouldn't it?"

"I just want to see it!" he protested.

"I know…I'm just thinking out loud." After she let him examine the blade, she walked with Raimundo to the edge of the forest. "Alright. Time for the rules. No involving the others." He nodded once. "No using the swords' powers." Another nod.

His eyes narrowed, quickly glancing at their surroundings. "Okay, but what if someone interferes?" She stared at him, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "I mean _him_! What if _he_ interrupts?!"

Her hips started to sway in anticipation of their sparring match. "I suppose…you can do what you think is right. If that happens. But it won't. Are you ready?"

When the match began, she was surprised by his speed. He immediately rushed her and began to strike. Jiayi blocked each potential hit, eyes widening. _Raimundo really goes all out for sparring, huh? That's fine. I'll take it easy on him for now. After all…this is to collect information. If we spar, I can learn his fight patterns. I have the upper hand though; he might learn how I fight in this form, but my tiger form is much less predictable._ Jiayi carefully blocked a strike aimed at her chest and managed to rush him.

Raimundo was alarmed by how she was suddenly right in front of him, her face inches from his. She smirked and planted the sole of her boot against his chest before sending him skidding backwards over the grass. His balance was good so he stayed upright, but he knew that any normal person would have toppled and would have sprained something. "You're holding back!" he growled.

"Well I sort of need to. This is a _sparring_ match."

"You know I'm strong enough to take it!" The young man rushed forward, striking fiercely. Jiayi moved back again and again, dodging attacks and finally giving his side a tap with her blade before spinning away from him. "You think I can't handle it?! You saw me fight Chase Young!"

"That wasn't you! Not the real you!" she argued. Jiayi was nearly thrown off by his sudden appearance in front of her. _Wait! No, how did he-?!_ She felt a strong rush of air from him and scowled. _How did I not realize? Fine! If he's going to cheat, then I will, too!_ The girl let her claws emerge on her left hand and swiped, making him retreat a few steps.

On the sidelines, everyone knew that this was no longer sword-only fight. Raimundo was subtly using multiple shen-gon-wu and Jiayi was attacking with a clawed left hand, threatening to actually hurt him if he got too close. He dodged a swipe aimed at his head, meant to drive him back further, and darted forward. Her clawed hand was pushed aside, his forearm driving against her chest and pushing her back a few steps. He kept pace with her, applying more pressure until she finally twisted out of his reach. Watching her move, he was reminded of a cat and wondered if she would shift forms if he pushed her further. "You think it wasn't the real me? Who do you think it was then, Jiayi? It _was_ me! I did what I had to so I could rescue you!"

She snarled and sprinted forward, dodging a swing of his blade and planting a hand on his chest. With as much strength as she could manage, she forced him back and against a tree trunk. "Did it _look_ like I needed to be rescue?! I am _incorruptible_!"

Raimundo's sword clashed against hers and his eyes narrowed. "I wasn't worried about you being corrupted! Or hadn't you noticed?!"

"What, then? If you weren't there to try to stop me from relapsing-!"

"You think I care if you go back to the Heylin side?! That's what I _wanted_ to see!" His voice was low, keeping his words quiet enough that the others would not hear. "I just wanted to stop him before he touched you."

Her face turned red and she jumped back, watching him carefully. He was adjusting his stance, preparing to attack again. "I didn't need your help!"

"If I hadn't helped you, you would still be there! With _him_!"

The others watched them run at each other again and again, continuously blocking and striking back and forth. Few words were exchanged after a while. It was becoming obvious that neither intended to lose the sparring match. The sparring match was quickly becoming an all-out battle.

She parted from the young man and stood a good distance from him, watching. He was becoming tired. She knew he was. After all, he was only mortal. _If I let him win, there's no telling what ridiculous thing he might want as a reward. And what was that about him wanting to see me return to the Heylin side?_ Jiayi moved to quickly block an attack and leaned in close so her face was near his. "Raimundo…have you been corrupted?" She felt a sharp jolt of electricity run up and along her arm as his hand grasped hers. Jiayi could feel it in his palm, pressing against her flesh and rendering her unable to move her hand to let go of him. "I-it's the…" Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall.

"Eye of Dashi." He smirked, leaning in closer to her. "What? Is that all it takes? Just hearing his name makes you all teary?"

"Sh-shut up! Let go of my hand!" The electricity faded, but his hand continued to grip hers. She knew that she could tear her hand free if she really wanted to, but would risk injuring him in the process.

"I wanted to help you," he hissed. "All I wanted to do was help you."

"I never _wanted_ your help!" She kept her voice low as well, not wanting to frighten the others. They were watching. If she did accidentally injure him, it could be very bad. "Listen-!"

"Why can't you just let me help you?!"

"Help me do _what_? Just what do you think I need help with now? Do you see Chase Young anywhere? No! Because you-!" She bit her lip, feeling the electricity start again. Tears rolled down her cheeks and soon she could taste blood.

He let the current die and released her hand. "Don't look at me like I'm some kind of monster! I did it for _you_!"

Jiayi bit down harder on her bottom lip, taking several steps back _. He won't let it end easily, will he? He knows that I can't use my immortal abilities against him. I can't actually hurt him._ Her hips swayed side to side for a moment, a scowl growing on her blood-slickened lips. With a quiet growl, the immortal dropped to her knees on the ground. "…I concede defeat…"

"What?! This isn't over! Get up!"

"I said that I concede defeat. An immortal does not always lose with such dignity. Please allow me this." She met his gaze with a firm look of her own.

Raimundo stepped closer to her. "Get up! I didn't want to win this way!"

"…what did you want to ask for…?" Strands of her long, dark blue hair had come free of her ponytail and were hanging in her face. _If it's something outrageous, I'll refuse and demand that he chooses something else. That's just how it needs to be._ She saw him open his mouth to reply, but then he tensed and narrowed his eyes on something behind Jiayi. A hand gripped the back of her neck and she snarled lowly.

"What's this? I give you time to yourself and find you fighting, and _losing_ , to like this monk?" His every word dripped venom, his hold on the back of her neck tightening painfully for a moment. When she was released, he moved his hand to the front of her neck. Covered fingertips traced along her throat before gripping her jaw and forcing her head back so their eyes met. Her bright amber eyes were sparkling with tears that rolled down her pale cheeks even as he stared back at her. "What sort of trick did he use to make you submit so quickly?" he taunted.

"Step away from me or I will destroy you," she growled. Jiayi pulled her face free and was soon standing near Raimundo, trying to put herself between him and Chase Young. _The others need to get to the temple. As long as they…Okay so I'm too late. They already have weapons. That won't do us much good anyway, considering our opponent._ Brandishing the Blade of Renshu, she fixed her gaze upon the male immortal. "So…you finally gained up the courage to leave your lair…?" she taunted.

The young man behind her frowned. "Let me handle this."

"Raimundo, I'm not letting you do that! And after this, we're having a serious talk about-!" Jiayi was shoved aside, nearly losing her balance, and watched him run at the villain. "What did I just say?!" Despite herself, she moved to the three monks and signaled for them to go back to the temple.

"Let me do this for you!" he shouted over his shoulder. The fight had already begun and he was swinging his blade at Chase Young. The immortal was easily dodging each hit and countering with ones of his own. Raimundo was quickly gaining bruises.

Once the monks were fleeing, she tensed her muscles and prepared to attack. "Look...if you think you're doing this alone, think again!"

He smirked when she joined him, fighting at his side and driving Chase back from the temple grounds. This was what he had wanted; to have her at his side. To fight together. Though he also wanted more. He could feel it growing within him. Since the day he met Jiayi, he could feel evil steadily growing in his heart and mind. It did not govern his actions or thoughts so much as his need to make her notice him. Watching her fight beside him, attacking Chase Young again and again, he felt a sort of satisfaction.

She frowned and met Chase's gaze, trying not to think about how vicious Raimundo's expression was becoming. The immortal man was watching her as well, his eyes glinting with a predatory desire. Jiayi pushed Raimundo behind her at the worst, yet best, possible moment. The Sword of the Storm ran through the back of her shoulder, the tip piercing through to the front and dripping red. Chase's claws raked her upper chest, tearing through her flesh and shirt. The blood was warm and sticky, mingling with her sweat. She looked over her shoulder at Raimundo, who gaped at her and trembled. Her head turned to look at Chase and she felt a hand on her shoulder. The young woman was forced forward, freeing the sword and letting her blood flow freely down her back. Falling to her knees, she coughed crimson droplets onto the grass beneath her.


	21. Chapter 21

"This is the perfect opportunity to put my new medicine skills to use!" Omi declared as he examined her wound.

Jiayi winced when he poked at the hole in her shoulder. "I mean…you know I heal fast, right? I'm immortal." His shoulders drooped slightly with disappointment. "I guess maybe it would be okay. Just don't go to too much trouble, alright?" She watched him run off toward the forest and sighed. Slouching on the veranda, the young woman let her eyes slide closed. Even from this distance, she could feel eyes on her. _Of course. Why would Chase Young leave now that I'm wounded like this? I wouldn't put it past him to attack again._

Raimundo approached her hesitantly, still feeling guilty about her shoulder wound. "So what's up? It's going to heal soon, right?"

"Just what do you think I am?" She heard him move closer and soon felt him sitting beside her. When she sensed his hand close to her chest, she quickly grabbed his wrist. "Don't."

"I just wanted to get a better look."

"A better look? At _what_? A wound that could have easily killed you? What were you thinking when you got that close to him?" Jiayi met his curious gaze with a stern one. "You weren't thinking at all. That much is evident. And you call yourself their leader?"

He frowned and pulled his hand away. "I couldn't think about what would happen. I wanted to protect you."

She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Settling back against the wall, she closed her eyes again. "I've told you before…I don't need your protection." There was a short silence between them as Jiayi listened to the others speak. Dojo was asking Kimiko and Clay what had happened and seemed completely unsurprised by the fact that Chase Young had attacked her. "…it's really warm today…"

"Yeah. Makes me wish this temple had air-conditioning." Raimundo grinned when she gave a small laugh. "What?"

Jiayi snorted. "Putting such a thing in a place like this." Shaking her head, she felt another yawn approaching. _It's too hot to be outside. I should go back to Jack's after Omi tends to my wounds. Of course…there's still Chase. I would need to outrun him. With Guan missing, I can't rely on him to ambush Chase again._ She could hear Kimiko talking now. Discussing what they should do. Everyone seemed worried about Jiayi's wounds no matter how many times she reassured them that she would heal.

"I didn't think she could be hurt like that. When we found out that she's immortal, I just thought…like that she was _invincible_ to stuff like that."

"I didn't think a shen-gon-wu could be used that way," Clay spoke up.

"A sword's a sword. The Sword of the Storm is just like any other blade if you aren't using its magic," Dojo explained. "Most people wouldn't be stupid enough to put themselves in its way like _she_ did. So what's wrong with Raimundo?"

There was a pause. "I think he just really wants her to pay attention to him. I don't know when it started, but I can tell by looking at him. Even now. He's sitting with her, but he looks like he wants something." Kimiko's voice carried almost a despairing tone. "I don't like seeing him that way."

"I don't think anyone does," Clay agreed. "He oughta just forget about her."

"It's not easy to forget about someone."

"He's just lucky she doesn't have a crush on him! You should've seen the way she stalked Dashi when she had a crush on him! She followed us everywhere! And then she turned evil to try to get his attention! I don't know what she thought would happen; he couldn't stand her!" The small dragon yelped when a pebble was thrown at his head.

"Dojo…don't you think that's enough _insolence_ for one day?" Jiayi asked, opening one eye. He was watching her with a narrowed gaze. "What?"

"You're starting to sound like a villain again."

"Oh…you're so funny." She beamed when Omi approached her with a mortar, pestle, bandages, a cup of water, and a handful of roots. "So? What do you do for wounds like these?"

He squinted at her exposed shoulder, ignoring the dark markings and scars that riddled her upper half. "The shoulder wound is clean. The chest wounds are jagged. The skin is torn."

"Which means?"

"Goldenrod to keep it from infection. Calendula to heal fast. Gotu kola to keep it from leaving a scar." He smiled at her look of surprise. "Is that correct?"

"Yes…you're right. That's very good." She tried to smile back, but she was perplexed as to how he knew about the scar reducing herb. _I don't think I taught him that one. Did he look it up somewhere? Maybe they have a medicinal scroll that I should look at._ The immortal watched him grind the herbs to a powder and then add water little by little until it became a paste. She let him apply it to the shoulder wound and wrap it, though she knew the wound would be healed by the end of the day. When he wanted to tend to her chest, she refused and took the medicine with her to privately apply it.

Once it was wrapped, she rejoined everyone outside and sat on the veranda beside Kimiko. The others were talking about going somewhere to swim, but she said nothing. _As much fun as it might be, I don't want to leave Jack alone for too long. Especially not after that chaos with Chase._ She could still feel eyes on her. It made goose bumps raise on her bare arms.

Without a word to the others, Jiayi stood and stretched her arms over her head. Curious looks were directed at her as she walked down the steps leading up to the veranda. "Hm? Oh. I need to be going. If I don't leave soon, who knows what might happen to Jack?" Seeing Dojo open his mouth to make a remark, she shot him a glare. "You seem to forget what it is that I need to eat to stay youthful, Dojo. If I was in your position, I think I would consider that a little more before I speak."

Jiayi was only marginally surprised by what awaited her when she left the temple grounds. Jungle cats were prowling in the forest and she knew immediately why they were there. When she tried to shift forms, she found her wounds inhibiting her ability to full change. _The skin is stretching and it's tearing the wounds more. Too risky. He must have known._ Gritting her teeth, she changed back to her human form and glanced around. "You know…obsessive men are so _unattractive_ ," she started. There was no answer. Jiayi knew that he was still close, but was unable to see him in the forest around her.

Fearless, she walked straight up to a tiger and crouched in front of it. _All of these cats were once human, right? I bet it hurts them to see someone who can shift back to human so easily._ She held out a hand and when the tiger failed to react, she stroked the side of their face and wondered what sort of person they had been. The tiger's eyes half-closed and they moved closer, rubbing their face against the side of her neck. Unsure of whether or not she should be embarrassed, she patted their back. "…I know it hurts…" she murmured. The other cats were drawing closer now, not appearing predatory. Their eyes reflected curiosity instead and they came to sit around the young woman.

"Do you want to join them? They seem so _fond_ of you suddenly." There was spite in the man's voice as he appeared at the edge of the feline group. He crossed his arms and studied the blue-haired woman as she reached to stroke the mane of a lion. Even if they were cats now, he knew that they were once human. They still possessed the minds and souls of human warriors. This knowledge, coupled with the way she caressed the lion's face, ignited a jealousy in the villain. When the lion nuzzled their forehead against her chest, she half-smiled and rubbed the creature's ears. "Even if they had their free will back and could become human, they wouldn't know what to do with their lives."

"Hm…it's still a cruel fate to endure." The lion had lifted its head and was meeting her amber eyes with deep green ones. She pressed her forehead against the cat's and felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. _They were once human warriors with families and friends. Lives that they had to abandon. Lovers they will they never see again. So many goodbyes left unsaid and apologies left undelivered. Promises broken. Loves lost._ Her fingers ran through the cat's mane and she sighed, pulling her face away. "I don't suppose you feel remorse."

Chase smirked at her from across the group of cats. "Never."

She stood and adjusted her sword strap. "Look. I don't want to fight. For one, I don't feel like it. Two, it's too hot to anything like that. And three, you're giving me the creeps."

"I didn't intend to fight you today."

"So what do you want then?" Jiayi felt the tiger from before move to sit beside her, rubbing the top of its head against her left hand. She stroked its fur absently, her eyes on Chase Young as he slowly advanced through the crowd of jungle cats.

"How many times do I need to repeat myself before you do as I ask?" He stopped right in front of her, watching the muscles in her jaw clench in anger. With a malevolent smile, he leaned down to her eye level and gripped her chin. "I want you to love me." She wrinkled her nose in response. "I will _make_ you love me."

"You can't make a person love you!" Jiayi snarled. "I don't know what ridiculous thought process you went through to reach such a conclusion, but it's not possible! And if you really think that I could love you…that I would leave Jack for you…well that's just too funny!" A cruel smile grew on her lips as he scowled. "I don't even know what you see in me. Why would you still be after me when you have an obedient fan girl like Wuya waiting for you? Didn't she stay behind so she could take care of you? You know…when Raimundo and I beat you into the floor of your lair…?"

He easily lifted the young woman by the front of her shirt and threw her. Jiayi rolled over the grass and into the road, quickly shifting into a crouched position. "We were meant to be together."

Her hand went to the hilt of her sword, eyes sweeping the crowd of cats as Chase started toward her again. To her utter surprise, the tiger she had petted was skirting around the group to come up beside her. _Alright so I have one ally. Er…two_ , she thought as the lion joined them. _Two allies against Chase Young and a bunch of…okay, the others seem to be sitting this out. That works!_ She unsheathed the Blade of Renshu, prepared to fight to protect her new allies.

"Your father's blade?" Recognition flashed in his eyes briefly. "Your father. What do you think he would say if he knew what you became? If he hadn't burned in that fire, Renshu would have been disgusted."

"Don't talk about my father," she growled lowly. "Either fight me or get the hell out of my way!"

Chase smirked once more and took a step toward her. "We were meant to be together," he repeated. "You were meant to be at my side. Perhaps you just need more persuading."

She took a step back as he moved closer. "Stay back! If I need to, I will hurt you much worse than you hurt me today!" In the blink of an eye, he was behind her and gripping her wounded shoulder tightly. It sent a sharp pain through her nerves, but she remained standing and turned quickly to slash at him.

He backed away swiftly to evade her attack and then closed the distance once more to grip her throat. Her back slammed against a tree, the man's armored body pressing close to hers. Jiayi's pale face was inches from his, her amber eyes wide with fear. It filled him with satisfaction, but he wanted more. The immortal man's mouth covered hers in a rough kiss. In the days after her escape, his hunger for her had only grown stronger. Plans had formed in his mind, but none seemed quite right for recapturing the immortal woman. She was on the same level as him. That alone was reason enough to keep her close. Coupling that with her fierce personality and beauty made him determined to have her at his side.

Jiayi's eyes closed against the pain of her wrist being knocked hard against the tree trunk. Her sword fell to the ground and he soon had her hands pinned over her head with one hand. _No! I won't let this happen! Not again! I can't do that to Jack!_ She turned her face to the side, scowling. "If you don't let go of me-!"

"What can you do? Anything you can do, I can do," he taunted. His lips moved along the side of her neck, pausing to bite at the area between her neck and shoulder. "We're the same. How can you hope to be happy with someone that's so weak? Someone that will die before you?"

The corner of her mouth drew up, forming a smirk. Even though her face was bright pink with a blush, it still looked menacing. "Funny. Are you…trying to insinuate that I would _happy_ if I were to join you? I mean…why do you think that? Since the day I met you, all you seem to think about is what will make _you_ happy. Besides…love doesn't work the way you seem to think it works. I know from experience. You're going about it completely wrong. Before you try to make someone love you, you need to love them first."

He chuckled and nuzzled his face against the crook of her neck. "What makes you think I _don't_? If it needs to be said then you are more naïve than I ever could have imagined."

"Hm." She slipped a hand free from his grip and wove her fingers into his long, dark hair. Jiayi blushed red when she felt his hips grind into hers as a pleased growl left him. Her smirk grew, knowing that she still had some power over him. "So…? You have something to say? Or are you feeling too weak from my touch?"

Her words struck a nerve within him, but he refused to react how she would expect. It would only make her think that she had even more power over him. She tugged at his hair and a grunt of pleasure escaped him, making him angrier. After a few seconds of composing himself, he pulled her chin so she was forced to look at him as he said, "I love you. And you will be mine." Their lips met again and he felt her teeth close on his bottom lip.

Jiayi bit down harder until she tasted blood, but soon realized that it was having no impact. Sinking her nails into his scalp seemed to only make matters worse. She could feel desperation in the kiss. Possessiveness. Hunger. Lust. A shiver ran through her and, after thrashing frantically, she managed to escape. She changed to her tiger form, ignoring the way her wounds tore open further, and raced through the forest at super speed. When she reached Jack's house, she made it to the living room before collapsing on the floor in a ball of pain and humiliation. Her wounds were bleeding and her body was shaking when Jack found her. Covering his mouth at the sight of the blood, he fell to his knees beside her and began to panic.


	22. Chapter 22

"I don't care. I'm not going to do it."

The words stung and Jiayi held her breath, standing against the back of her father's workshop. He was meeting with her crush again, but this time it was different. She knew it would be; her father had discussed it with her mother just a few days prior. All of Jiayi's suitors from town had suddenly retracted their offers of marriage and now her father was becoming desperate to secure her future with a good man. _Not that I need it. I can take care of myself. Her_ hands curled into fists and she felt her body shaking as she fought the urge to cry.

"Please. Have I ever asked you for anything before?" Renshu asked, desperation in his voice. He was inside the workshop, pleading with his friend to agree to take care of his daughter. Unfortunately, he had suspected that things would go this way and had ordered her to stay in the house with her mother. Renshu knew it would break her heart to know that the man did not return her feelings.

"No, but I can't do that. Look. She's a good kid, but she'll never be a seamstress. She'll never be someone's wife. She isn't the type. Besides, she has a dark aura."

At this, her fists tightened and she dug her nails into her palms. Jiayi could sense someone approaching and opened her sharp brown eyes, meeting the dark ones of a familiar young man. He tilted his head, an eyebrow raising as the wind blew through his long, black hair. She frowned and shook her head before settling on the ground. Her father continued to try to persuade Dashi, but she knew it was futile. "…not even the boys in the village want me now…" she murmured, her eyes on the ground.

He sat beside her, the faintest of blushes forming on his cheeks when she leaned against his side. "That may be, but now you have control over your destiny," he pointed out. "What would you want to do? Now that you have no suitors. Now that you've heard…?"

Her nose wrinkled and she closed her eyes. "I think…I'd want to be a warrior." The young man chuckled, making her turn to stick her tongue out at him. "What? My father creates weapons. I've seen enough of his swordplay as well as you and your friends' fighting styles. I want to be _strong_ …now that I've been given this chance."

 **Shift P.O.V**

Jiayi woke to find her abdomen covered in drying blood. She was on the floor of Jack's living room, surrounded by crimson-soaked towels and countless used adhesive bandages. The red-haired young man was passed out at her side, his face seeming almost paler than usual. Pushing herself to sit up, she tested moving her damaged arm. It moved easily and without pain. Satisfied, she lifted her boyfriend onto her back and carried him up to his bedroom.

Once he was tucked beneath the blanket, the young woman went to wash off the blood and put on a clean tank top and jeans. _It's healed, but it looks weird_ , she thought as she looked in the mirror. The claw marks across her collarbone area had stretched and widened so they healed in a jagged and peculiar manner. The puncture to her shoulder had also stretched open more and was healed in a thick outline of where the Sword of the Storm had entered and exited her flesh. _Ugh. Not very appealing. Not that it matters._

She made her way to the rooftop and settled on her back so she could look up at the stars. The air was slightly chilled; a welcome change from the day's unbearable heat. The dream that had come to her was beginning to truly bother her and the air was serving to calm her. _Not a dream. A memory. My suitors did retract their offers and no one knew why. None of them would say why. And that man…I know now what became of him. Dashi and Guan's friend._ Her nose wrinkled and she lifted her gaze directly above, fixing upon the full moon. The thought of spending eternity with him was far from pleasant. He was selfish and arrogant. He seemed convinced that she truly belonged with him. Remembering his words from that afternoon, she scowled and sat upright. "He loves me? _Sure_. I bet he's said that same thing to plenty of women and they fell all over themselves to do whatever he wants. Why should _I_ care? I _don't_ care! He could rot in a well for all I care!" Jiayi pushed herself to stand and smiled wickedly as the wind ran through her dark blue hair. "I hope he _does_ rot in a well so I can look down upon him and laugh!"

"Am I interrupting something?" a voice asked from behind her. When the young woman turned quickly to glare at him, he grabbed her upper arm to steady her from falling off of the roof. "You looked so content, I was reluctant to interrupt. And just who do you want to see rot in a well?" Jiayi's lips turned down into a scowl, but he was unfazed. "I came to deliver something you may want, but if you intend to be _uncooperative_ …" She held out her free hand expectantly and he raised an eyebrow. With his other hand, he gripped hers and smirked. "What are you doing? You wanted to hold my hand?" he taunted.

"Give me back the Blade of Renshu!" she snarled.

"I don't have it." Chase stepped closer to her and his smirk grew when he saw her start to blush. "If I brought that, I would ask more of you before returning it. After all, wasn't that weapon made for you?"

"I will push you off of this roof!"

"And what would that accomplish?" He looked toward the ground and she followed his gaze to find a lion and a tiger seated in the grass below.

Jiayi stared down at the two, wondering for a moment if he intended to feed her to the jungle cats. _Wait…no. I don't know how I know this for certain, but these are the two that stood at my side this afternoon._ She glanced over at Chase. "So…? Why would I want them? I can't control jungle cats."

"You don't need to control them. They've decided to pledge their loyalty to you."

"Interesting…"

He could see it then. A spark in her amber eyes that revealed her true, wicked nature. The sight of it, coupled with the growing grin on her pink lips, sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. The villain moved behind her, holding the girl's shoulders and feeling her tremble with excitement beneath his touch. "Imagine what it would feel like to tear apart a town with them at your side." Chase did not need to look in her eyes to know that she was considering it. "Imagine tearing apart those pathetic villagers that fear you. Can you imagine what it would feel like to give them something to truly be afraid of?"

"…they never gave me a second chance…just one shapeshifting incident and they called me a _monster_ …" she murmured, biting her thumbnail.

"With no one left alive, who's left to call you a monster?"

"You shouldn't kill people." There was a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "A Xiaolin warrior would never kill another living thing."

His mouth brushed the side of her neck, fingers tracing along her scarred collarbone. "You're not a Xiaolin warrior. You were never one of them."

"…but _you_ were…" She looked at him from the corner of her eye. The grip on her shoulders had tightened and he seemed to tense at her words. "Don't you ever regret the decisions you made? Don't you ever wish you could go back?"

"Why would I give up this power? Oh, I see now. You wish it had been him instead of me, don't you? I suppose that if I were him, you would gladly give in to your evil urges."

Jiayi smirked and lifted a hand, threading her fingers into his hair. Her other arm went around his neck, pulling him closer. "You seem to not realize that I've gotten over him."

"Have you now?"

"He's dead. It gives me no choice but to get over him." She felt him press against the back of her hips and sank her nails lightly into his scalp. "You delivered my new followers. You're excused. So scurry back to your lair and continue to lick your wounds." Jiayi snickered and quickly moved before he could throw her off of the roof. "What's the matter? Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you not accustomed to women speaking to you that way?"

Chase continued to smirk and lightning flashed in the sky behind him. He had never wanted to possess a living thing as badly as he wanted to possess Jiayi. He wanted to have her in his arms. He wanted to feel the heat of her skin against his. The way she was speaking to him now, as if he were beneath her, made him want to dominate her. He wanted to touch the thick scars that his claws had left across her chest. Determination filled him and he swiftly made a grab for her.

She twirled out of his reach, her boots scraping over the shingles of the roof as she dodged his repeated attempts to catch the young woman. _The sad part is…I'm starting to reach a realization. We are both immortal. Guan hid me from him for centuries, but that had to end eventually. What if…eventually…we_ _do_ _end up together? We're both eternally young. So from the time that we met, were we destined to spend eternity together? Not exactly in_ _that_ _way, but both existing…both living…in the same world for eternity?_ Jiayi's hips were swaying excitedly as she watched his expression go from amused to annoyed. "What? Are you getting frustrated? I thought that we were equally matched."

Chase saw the wickedness in her eyes once more and it made his smirk return. She was teasing him and, though he hated it, she was enjoying herself immensely. "Even at your most obnoxious, you're beautiful," he remarked. Her face turned pink and she bit her lower lip.

"I'm not as easy to manipulate as Wuya." Her gaze darkened and she opened her mouth to say more, but her cellphone began to ring. Holding up one finger, she used her free hand to dig the phone out of her jeans pocket. "Need something?"

"I thought something had happened to you! Where are you, Jiayi?! I woke up and I was in my room and you're not in the house and-!"

"Jack. I'm on the roof." Amber eyes lifted to find Chase suddenly standing directly in front of her. Seeing a flash of malevolence in his eyes, she quickly ducked to avoid him grabbing her throat. "I'll be back down soon. Don't come outside."

"Why are you on the roof in the middle of the night?! Wait! Why are there a tiger and lion in my backyard?" The fear was showing in his voice and the sound of cloth rustling could be heard in the background as he pulled on his jacket. "I'm coming outside!"

"Don't come outside! _Do not_ make me repeat myself, Jack!" She dodged a kick directed at her midsection and countered with a strike to the immortal man's armored chest. It pushed him back a little and it seemed to catch him off guard long enough for her to jump back toward the edge of the roof. _He's going to rush at me next and try to push me off of the roof so the air is knocked from my lungs and I'm stunned. I can't let that happen. The few seconds that I'm stunned would give him just enough opportunity to do something horrible._ She glanced over her shoulder at the ground. Her two followers were now standing just below her, their feline eyes raised to her in concern. "Look. I'll be in soon, okay? Just _don't_ come outside."

There was a pause and she knew that he was now in the kitchen, gaping at the jungle cats standing in his backyard. "Are you alone?"

Her smirk grew and her eyes met Chase's. "Of course not, Jack. My least favorite _pest_ came to pay me a visit." Before the villain could step forward, she stepped back and landed on her feet in the grass so many feet below. She saw him glare at her over the edge of the roof and gave him a brief grin before ushering her new followers into the house.

Jack tried not to scream. He put forth every ounce of courage when he saw his girlfriend enter the house with a tiger and lion on either side of her. "So they're…?"

"Um…" She let a hand fall to her side, running through the lion's mane. "Alright so…it's hard to explain without first explaining how I got these scars." Jiayi told him about the sparring match with Raimundo and how it had escalated to a battle against Chase Young. After telling him about her second, and now third, encounter with the villain, she glanced down at the jungle cats. "So that's pretty much it. These two decided to pledge their loyalty to me instead of him."

"And he didn't kill them?"

Jiayi was rubbing the tiger's ears now, crouched before the creature. "I guess he wanted to bother me one last time before he went to sleep," she joked. The feline butted its head against her shoulder, its whiskers tickling her scar for a moment. "I mean, I don't have control over jungle cats. I'm pretty sure that ability is related to the armor he wears, right? Not that I've ever _tried_ to control jungle cats…or turn people into jungle cats."

"You turned peaceful after you lost that fight though, right? That fight against the guy you were in love with," Jack pointed out. "You should try commanding these two."

The corners of her mouth turned down at this notion. "It doesn't seem right. They still have human minds and souls, right? They should be able to do what they want."

Jack stared into the lion's eyes and shivered when it yawned, displaying rows of sharp teeth. "Do you think they know they can't change back to human now? If you can't do what C.Y. can, doesn't that mean you can't let them change to their human bodies? He sometimes has them do that."

 _Maybe they were better off with Chase then. Not that I made them come with me._ Shaking her head, she released a sigh and led the way to the living room. The immortal sprawled on the couch, stretching her arms over her head. "If that's the case…I'll just have to make it so they don't regret joining me, right? I doubt it's difficult to treat them better than he did." The tiger trotted across the room and flopped down beside the couch, glaring at the lion when it approached. _Although I do wonder what sort of people they were before they became this way. Were they both men or was the tiger a woman? What sort of lives did they live? What kind of warriors were they? Worse though…I need to focus on my beliefs from now on. No more mischief. I don't like how Chase Young made me feel tonight. As if being evil again would be fun. I swore to be good. I swore it to Guan. I can't disappoint him a second time._

Slouching in one of the chairs, Jack felt slightly awkward. He had missed out on a lot by staying home that day and worried that he might have been able to prevent her from getting hurt if he had gone with her to the temple. This thought, in turn, brought on a sense of jealousy. In order to leave such a deep set of claw marks on her chest, Chase would have needed to get very close to her. Not to mention that the immortal had been alone with her on the roof just moments before. Something worse than could have happened to her and he would have been sleeping, blissfully unaware. "So now what? He has your dad's sword, right? You want to get it back?"

"Hm…you're asking if I'm about to willingly fall for an obvious trap, Jack." She grinned evilly at her boyfriend and was elated when he grinned back. "I'm not just going to fall for it. I'm going to run into this trap head-on and tear that egotistical maniac apart!"


	23. Chapter 23

NeonHorizon: Updates will be a little slow from now on. I have been very, very tired lately and this chapter took me three days to write because I had such little free time. I apologize and I hope that you enjoy this chapter. I will try to update a minimum of twice a week from now on.

When Jiayi had spoken about revenge, he had expected her to act immediately. Now two days had passed and Jack found himself wondering if she had forgotten. The immortal was lounging in a chair in the basement, watching a video on a monitor. She had a bowl of ramen in front of her, absently chewing the noodles as she observed the video. He frowned and leaned over a little, curious as to what she was watching. His face turned bright red when he realized that she had gone into his search history and clicked on the first video she saw. "Wh-what are you doing?!" he demanded. The redhead tried to lean over quickly to close the video, but lost his balance and fell onto the floor.

Amber eyes sparkled with amusement and she set her bowl aside. "What? You look so shocked. I mean…didn't you already see this?"

"Why are you watching it?!"

Jiayi leaned back in her chair, half-grinning. "I wanted to see what you were into."

His face became even redder and he struggled back into his chair. "You already _know_ what I'm into. It's not like we haven't done stuff already."

She snickered, trying to smother it with her hand. "You're really cute when you blush."

Jack smirked, noticing the pink tint to her cheeks. "Like you're not blushing too." Settling in his chair, he looked over at the monitor before her. _Why did she have to watch that one though? And she's just sitting there, eating ramen and watching that video like it's no big deal! I still can't get over the fact that she's over a thousand years old._ His mouth settled back into a frown as he remembered the events of a few days past. She had gone to the temple so she could spar with the monks and returned bloody and battered. The wounds had been deep and Jack thought the bleeding would never stop. _She looks okay now. What if she gets hurt again though? I know it's really hard to, but I know I'm pretty sure immortals can be killed._

Stretching her arms over her head, back arching, she released a yawn. "Don't know about you, but…I think I might be ready to get this over with," she started.

"No!" He saw her raise an eyebrow and quickly lowered his gaze. "No. I mean, why go now? It's getting late, isn't it? Why don't we wait until tomorrow morning? You can get a full night's sleep and-!"

"I don't need _sleep_ ; I need _revenge_. I need my father's sword."

"You didn't even know it existed until Guan gave it to you!"

"I knew of its existence. I simply didn't care." Jiayi rose from her chair and walked to the front of his, leaning down and gripping the arms of his chair tightly. "Do I look like someone who would prefer to use a sword when they have claws?"

He felt his face heating again with a blush, eyes fixed upon the portion of her chest that her shirt failed to cover. _Cleavage…right there…right in front of me. How does she expect me to react to this?! I can't focus when she does stuff like this!_ Swallowing his nervousness, the young man lifted his eyes to meet hers. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Her hips began to sway and she smiled. "Jack…you know I'll get hurt. There's no way around it. I'll hurt him worse though. I promise. So? Are you with me or not? If you are, I won't let you get hurt. We'll have those two on our side," she said, nodding toward the lion and tiger lounging near the wall.

When he looked their way, both cats seemed to glare at him. _Are they jealous?_ This thought made him smirk and he leaned up to Jiayi's ear. "I love you."

 **Shift P.O.V**

No matter how many times he said them, those three words always made her heart skip a beat. Jiayi's smile grew into a mischievous grin. "I love you, too. So? Are you with me?"

Jack turned his head to the side and frowned. "I don't really have a choice here. I don't want you to be alone with him."

"Alright. So…I'm going to go change and then we'll leave." She walked briskly, giving her two followers a warning look when they rose to try to follow her. Changing out her sleeping shirt and shorts for jeans and a tank top, Jiayi set about tying her dark blue hair up into a ponytail with a white ribbon. _There. Perfect revenge outfit._ She snickered and turned in a circle, examining the clothes with criticism. _Do I really want all of my scars and markings showing though? They make me look sort of…_

"Jiayi, you have a visitor!"

She made her way downstairs, half-expecting it to be Chase, but instead found Guan standing just outside of the house. "Hm…? What brings you here?" she asked. The young woman could easily take a guess. He had to have heard about her missing sword.

The man was silent for a moment, looking her up and down. "Do you ever wear your old clothes? Every time I see you, you are dressed like a villain. Surely you own clothes in a color other than black."

Crossing her arms, she grinned. "You sound so much like a parent scolding a child. Is that how you see me…even after knowing me for centuries? And for your information, Guan…this is the style with young people now. I don't know why. It's just comfortable."

"Perhaps you could find something more suitable-"

"Did you come just to tell me that I dress weird? I thought that surely you would want to talk about the Blade of Renshu and its current whereabouts," she interrupted. His brow furrowed. "Chase Young has it. I'm getting it back. You can stop me or help me, but I won't let him keep it. I will get it back from him. It belongs to me."

"It was created for you," Guan stated. He ignored her look of confusion and shifted topics. "This is not about that. Though I intend to speak with you about that matter later. I have come to ask a favor of you, Jiayi."

She saw Jack moving toward her from the corner of her eye, her two followers trotting over to stand on either side of her. A hand dropped to her side and she let her fingertips run over the soft fur of the tiger's head. "What sort of favor?"

He looked at the jungle cats and chose not to say anything in regards to their sudden appearance. "I need you to return to the Xiaolin temple with me and speak with one of the young monks."

"Raimundo…right? I've been meaning to. Now, just out of curiosity….what has he done?" Jiayi stepped outside into the warm sunlight and her cats kept pace with her. "Did he leave the temple? Did he join the Heylin side?"

"He has left the temple, but he has not gone far. I believe that you can persuade him to stay on the side of good."

Jiayi narrowed her eyes and it might have been intimidating if she were taller. As it stood, Guan was decently taller than she was and she was forced to tilt her head back to fully meet his gaze. "I have a _battle_ ahead of me. To retrieve my father's sword," she said through gritted teeth.

"This is not a ploy to impede your upcoming fight. This is simply a request. I believe that he would even help you if you asked him to and in the process he may see that he belongs on the side of good. You do remember when you turned from the side of evil, Jiayi?"

Her face turned red with embarrassment at the memory. "Yes. I can recall quite clearly that I tried to tear my own body apart…out of guilt. If you truly believe that my words will have an impact…I suppose I have no choice." Jiayi's face took on a mischievous expression. "By the way, you may have noticed my new companions."

"I suppose they joined you because they admire your kindness." Again, he saw her face turn red. "Despite what you may think, you are very kind, Jiayi. I know that your heart is full of benevolence."

She watched him go and sighed in irritation. _I know what he said, but I still feel like he's trying to stop me from fighting Chase. Or at the very least, make me wait to do it. Does he really think that I can help Raimundo?_ Jiayi glanced at Jack. He was cautiously moving outside, looking around warily. "…are you afraid of Guan?"

"N-no! I just don't like him!" he protested. "So what are we doing now? Are we really going to the temple?"

"Hm…I suppose I have no choice. You wanted to wait until full daylight before I go to retrieve the sword, didn't you? Pack a bag and meet me out here in ten minutes. I'll get the rest ready." Jiayi waited for him to go before she turned to the tiger and lion. They perked up instantly, eager to have her attention. "Alright. We're going to travel to the temple, but we're going to move at a normal pace. I know you can't move at immortal speed." The lion nudged her hand with its forehead, glad when she stroked its mane. "Thank you. Both of you."

Jack soon returned with a couple of bags and jolted when his girlfriend shifted into her large, blue tiger form. He reluctantly secured the bags, and a packed tent, onto her back and they set off. The young man was surprised by their pace. She ran at a normal tiger pace and in short bursts so that the other two could keep up. He tried not to think about the fact that he was riding on her back. He tried not to think about the other two cats, moving alongside her. More than anything, he tried not to think about the fact that some of Chase's jungle cats were quite old. Jiayi might have met one or both of these warriors before they were turned into cats.

When they eventually reached the temple, Jiayi was panting. She shifted forms, dropping Jack onto his rear in the grass as she looked around. It took very little time to spot the tent set up at the edge of the forest. She immediately stormed over, Jack and her cats slowly following her, and glared at the young man she had been sent to speak with. Her boyfriend moved past him into the tent and promptly collapsed from the heat. "You know…the least you could do is _look_ at me," she stated, her hands curling into fists. "I took the time to come here…in this _disgusting heat_ …nearly _passing out_ on the way here…just to speak with you."

"You came here just to see me?" he taunted. Raimundo looked up at her and raised his eyebrows in alarm. "Are you okay? Your face is super red right now. What, are you just that excited to see me?"

"Heh…such humor. Are all young people so funny?" Jiayi collapsed on the grass beside him, throwing a forearm across her face to cover her eyes. "…I feel gross…I just ran I don't even know how many miles in tiger form so I could talk to you, but…I just don't feel like it now." She sighed and heard grass rustle as her feline companions took up guard positions nearby. _If I feel like this, I wonder how they're doing. I'm immortal at least. They're just normal, aren't they? Well as normal as can be for warriors that have been turned into cats._

Raimundo turned toward her, curious as to why she was really there. She looked miserable in the heat; her face was bright pink, her skin shone with a fine layer of sweat, and she was still trying to catch her breath. The tank top she was wearing clung to her chest snugly and he felt his face turning pink as well when he realized that he had been staring. "You want some ice cream?"

"Hm…?" Her arm moved slightly to reveal her bright amber eyes. "What did you say?"

"Ice cream. I have some in this cooler," he said, gesturing toward the object to his left.

"What _is_ that exactly?" Jiayi saw his expression turn to amusement and she frowned. The young woman pushed herself to sit up, trying to appear indignant. "What? In case you've forgotten…I spent centuries either with Guan or living in a shack. Do you really think I would know what all modern things are?"

He smirked and reached into the cooler, withdrawing an ice cream bar. "Here. I just want to see the look on your face when you eat it."

She accepted the treat from him and grimaced. "It's really cold."

"Yeah, the point is to have something sweet that will make you feel better when it's hot outside. I just can't believe you've never heard of it." Raimundo watched her unwrap it and snickered when she licked it. Her eyebrows rose and she gave it a second lick, smiling slightly. "Well? It's good, right?"

"I suppose so." Jiayi bit into it and winced. "Oww! You could have said not to bite it!"

"You just lick it. Why would you even try biting something that cold? Here." He grabbed her hand and pulled the ice cream over so he could lick it. "Just do that." It was cute to see her reaction and on some level he was happy to be the first person to see her try ice cream. It gave him a strange sense of satisfaction. He was trying to be calm, but his eyes kept wandering over to her and when he saw her lick the ice cream, he felt himself begin to blush. She was so cautious about getting close to it and when she licked it again, still quite close to him, he felt his heart skip a beat. "You like that?"

She heard the lion begin to growl and snickered. " _He_ doesn't. You should be careful."

They sat in silence for a moment as she finished the ice cream and eagerly accepted another from him. "So what's with those two? Can you control jungle cats?"

"Those two joined me of their own free will," Jiayi corrected him. She snorted and shook her head, remembering what Guan had said. "I guess they appreciate my kindness or something."

"I can see that." When she gave him a look of surprise, he smirked. "Even when you're being evil, you're still nice. You make sure no one innocent will actually get hurt. Like when you sparred with Omi and started to shapeshift. You made sure he didn't get hurt and you didn't want him to see you that way. You kind of suck at being a villain sometimes."

"I'm not a villain because I'm not evil," she stated. "And neither are you."

Instantly, his eyes darkened and he turned to face the temple. The other young monks were busy so they were at least spared the malevolence with which he looked at his home. "You don't know me that well. You don't know what I'm thinking or what I'm feeling."

Jiayi frowned and reached over, blocking his view of the temple with her half-melted ice cream. "Help me eat this." She grinned wickedly when the tip of his tongue darted out to lick it. "That was…actually sort of cute."

"What? It took you that long to notice I'm cute?" he taunted.

She rolled her eyes and handed off the treat to the young man. Falling onto her back once more, Jiayi sighed. _But it does feel better. After eating that. Jack doesn't have things like that at his house._ A yawn escaped her and she stretched briefly before turning onto her side. "When morning comes, we're leaving to retrieve my father's sword." She heard a confirmation before feeling his chest press against her back. Rather than snap at him, she silently allowed him to move closer. _He wants my attention. As long as he has it, he won't join the Heylin side…right?_


	24. Chapter 24

"You've got so much anger in your eyes. Did he break your fragile little heart?" The villain within the armor chuckled and peered down at the girl with interest. She was the daughter of a weapons master and a seamstress. He had been watching her for a while now, observing the way she followed the Xiaolin warriors. It was obvious what her motivation was. From the way she stared at Dashi, it was quite evident that she was infatuated.

"My eyes are of no concern to you. Nor is the state of my heart." The girl, seventeen years old now, watched him with caution as she settled on the river bank. She had followed Dashi for months now and not once did he acknowledge her. Not only was it becoming frustrating, but she was slowly beginning to doubt that he would ever love her.

"I guess you don't care about getting his attention then." Within the armor, he smirked. Jiayi's long black hair was tangled and matted. Her pale skin was bruised and bloody, smudged with dirt and mud. A wooden sword was strapped onto her back and there were bandages wrapped around her hands and forearms. She had been trying to get stronger so that Dashi would see her as a potential ally. They both knew her plan was failing. "I could help you get his attention."

"…and how do you expect me to do _that_ …?" She lifted a hand in front of her, the fingertips bleeding and the palms blistered. It hurt. Every part of her body was hurting. She was trying her best to ignore it. If she could only make Dashi realize that she would be valuable in battle. Clenching her hand into a fist, she saw blood ooze through her fingers. "What do you have to offer? Why…should I stay here and listen to what you have to say? I don't even know who you are."

"You can call me Hannibal Roy Bean. And what I can offer you is power." At this, she finally lifted her dark gaze to meet his. "You wanna show him how strong you are, don't you? There's just one little side effect. I'm gonna need you to join the Heylin side."

She tilted her head, hair falling to hide one eye. "…join the Heylin side…?"

"If _that_ doesn't get his attention-"

"Right. No, I understand what you mean. If I can become stronger…and if I become evil…I mean, there's no way he can ignore me then, right?"

"That's right."

"Right. Evil though, hm?" The drops of blood dripped from her closed fist and into the river. A half-grin took form on her chapped, pale lips. "Hannibal Roy Bean. If I do this, do you really think he will notice me? Do you think he might love me?"

The villain paused, watching her blood mix with the river water. "If he doesn't love you, I know someone else will." The girl may not have noticed, but he certainly had. A certain someone had been watching her as well, though even more closely.

She shivered and opened her hand. Her palm was painted red now and smelled strongly of iron. Wiping it on the grass beside her, she winced. "Fine. If becoming evil is what it really takes to make him notice me…if it has even a slight chance of getting his attention and making him love me…then I'll do it." Ignoring the feeling in her gut, that strong feeling of doubt, she stood and turned toward the villain. "I'll do whatever it takes."

He chuckled at this. "That's what I wanted to hear."

 **Present day**

Standing in the forest, just outside of the villain's lair, Jiayi took a moment to consider the situation. Behind her were the young monks, along with Jack and her feline companions. She lifted a hand to the Lunar Locket and found herself fidgeting with it. The thought of activating it crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed this thought. Her actual experience with shen-gon-wu was quite limited. Her amber eyes lowered to the ground, trying to formulate a plan of attack. _What can I really do? We're basically the same, right? Our speed, our strength, our resilience, our stamina. If I don't plan something to give me even a slight advantage, we'll just be circling each other over and over until one of us gets bored._

"I didn't expect to see them again so soon."

The words made her lift her gaze. Chase Young was standing across the clearing from her, jungle cats spread out behind him. Jiayi grinned maliciously and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Nothing wrong with spectators."

"You won't make them help you retrieve your sword?" he taunted.

"I don't need to _make_ them do anything. Unlike your jungle cats, these two willingly follow me," she replied. Her hips began to sway in anticipation of the fight as her eyes drifted to the Blade of Renshu. Its sheath was gripped in the jaws of a panther, which stood close at the immortal man's side.

"They are Jiayi's disciples! They will fight for her because they are loyal to Jiayi!" Omi spoke up fiercely, perched on the lion's back.

She looked over her shoulder at him and gave a small thumbs-up. Her body tensed when she felt warm breath on the side of her neck, a presence standing before her. _When did he get this close?! I need to get away! I can't let him-!_ As she tried to step back, his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her against his chest.

"If I win this battle, I intend to take you. This is your last chance to send them away before they witness something best left unseen," he hissed in her ear. Chase smirked as she tore from his hold and twisted out of reach.

Jiayi put as much distance between them as she could and looked to her companions. Turning into a tiger was her last resort this time, being too afraid that she might injure them in her rage. "I have…a fun idea. Dojo, didn't you refer to the Blade of Renshu as a pseudo shen-gon-wu?"

"Well, yeah, but what-?"

"Alright." She licked her lips and caught the weapon that Kimiko tossed to her. "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown for my father's sword. I wager the Thorn of Thunderbolt. Do you accept?"

Though perplexed by this turn of events, having expected a standard battle, Chase nodded. "I accept your challenge, Jiayi." He saw her wince at the way he said her name. "I wager the Tangle Web Comb."

As the ground began to shake and the scenery shifted, Jiayi felt herself start to tremble. For the first time in a long while, she felt genuinely nervous. _Alright. I've never been in a Xiaolin Showdown and I've only witnessed a few._ The patch of earth she was standing on suddenly rose up and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. All around the forest, pillars of earth and stone were rising. They seemed to form a path leading to a particularly wide stone pillar where the panther stood with the sword. _Alright so I guess we're really doing this. Is it always like this though? How does this not disrupt the plants and animals later? And do ordinary people see this?!_

"Are you ready to start or are you going to stand there for a while longer?" Chase taunted from a few feet away, perched upon his own pillar. "You do know what our true wager is?"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure I didn't agree to it. This is a battle for the Blade of Renshu."

"There is more at stake here than your precious sword. If I win, you will join me."

"I don't agree to that! Gong Yi Tanpai!" She heard him say it as well and darted forward to the next pillar. It was fairly easy for her, but considerably less so than if she was in her tiger form. _At least then I'd have claws. I would be able to clutch onto things._ Her grip on the shen-gon-wu tightened as she rushed to the next pillar and then the next. He was close behind and she knew it. He had deferred from his own pillar pathway and was now pursuing her. Turning, she began to move backwards so she could glare at him. "You look so foolish…chasing after me like this. Like an _egotistical fool_."

His brow furrowed, long hair blowing behind him as he lunged forward. The man was able to keep pace with her easily, but every time he was certain that he would catch her, the girl leapt back and out of his reach. "You should count yourself lucky."

"And why do you say that?" Jiayi dodged a strike that would have knocked her from the pillar if it had connected.

"I have yet to use my shen-gon-wu."

Realization set in quickly and she leapt up to dodge an attack from the Tangle Web Comb. Her eyes went wide and her confident smirk fell. _I've never been in a Xiaolin Showdown before this. What happens if I fall? I won't break my back, right? I mean…it would heal eventually…but even an immortal can be hurt by a broken spine!_ She glanced down at the ground briefly and gulped. Deciding that it was best not to find out, Jiayi's lips settled into a determined straight line. "Thorn of Thunderbolt!"

Chase dodged the attack, scowling when she laughed. "Do you think this is a game?"

"Hm…? I mean…isn't it?" She was not teasing him; she truly wanted to know if it was a simple game or if they could actually be hurt by a fall from that height. _We're at least fifty feet off the ground. A fall from this height would kill a mortal. I've never seen someone fall in a Xiaolin Showdown, but…_

He was suddenly in front of her and aiming his shen-gon-wu at the girl's chest. "This is not a game."

Jiayi took a step back on her pillar. She pointed the Thorn of Thunderbolt at him, but her hands were shaking with fear. Jack's voice called something from far below, though it was too faint for her to decipher. It was only when a dozen flying robots rose around her that she realized what he had done. For a moment, she contemplated jumping onto one and trying to ride it to the Blade of Renshu, but she worried that it might be breaking the rules. Having never been in a Showdown before, she was uncertain what the penalty would be for breaking the rules.

While Chase was vaguely distracted by the robots, she darted to the opposite path of pillars and began to race toward the end. He was soon behind her once more and just as she was about to reach the last pillar, she felt tendrils wrap around her left ankle. Jiayi struggled to try to free herself and felt his hand on her shoulder. Shortly after he grabbed her, he sent her body flying back down the path. She skidded over several pillars, managing to stay on top of them, and aimed her right hand at his back. Just as he was about to step onto the last pillar, she launched an energy blast that pushed him over the edge.

"Urgh…damn it!" Jiayi clutched her side with a hand, gritting her teeth. Skidding over the pillars had torn her shirt and taken off a thin layer of skin over her ribs and side. _Skinned ribs! No injury I hate more than getting skinned! Bastard! This is it! I'll make him pay!_ She knew that he had not fallen to the ground below because the pillars were still standing. Rushing forward, she focused all of her attention on the sword in the panther's jaws. When she leapt onto the platform, she saw the villain clinging to the side and she barely had time to dodge an attack. Her hand grasped the sword's hilt and her free arm wrapped around the panther's neck.

Chase was standing across the platform from her now, wearing a smirk that suggested he had won. "You think that you've beaten me?"

Her hips swayed back and forth, fingers digging into the panther's sleek black fur. "I _know_ that I've beaten you. What am _I_ holding? The prizes. What are _you_ holding? Nothing. You can't win against me, Chase. I won't let you." To her irritation, his smirk grew when she said his name. The pillars began to shrink and soon Jiayi was standing with a panther purring at her side, facing her nemesis. "Oh and by the way…if you keep losing jungle cats to me, you'll soon be alone." She snickered as the panther rubbed its head against her hand.

"I will always have you. From the day we met, to the end of eternity. I will always have you, Jiayi. You may think you have won. You may think that you're in control. You may think that you have a choice. We were made for each other. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can be happy."

The girl snorted. "What do you care, if I'm happy or not? You only care about your own happiness. You can't fool me!"

The villain closed the distance between them in less than a second and gripped her jaw tightly. "You will love me." His sharp eyes met hers, burning deeply with a desire that made her wince. "You will be with me forever. Why wouldn't I want you to be happy?"

"Wh-what?" She hated that her voice sounded so weak, but simply being close to him was beginning to make her tremble. _What's wrong with me?! It wasn't like this last time! I'm just…nervous from the fight, right? That has to be it!_ She could feel the others watching her, waiting for her to strike at him or run. Instead, she remained frozen in place with wide amber eyes staring up into his. "I…don't want…"

"Wouldn't it feel so much better to be your true self? Those pathetic villagers would learn their place. Imagine how it would feel to stand at my side as the world burns around us."

"I…don't want…" Her eyes widened more as he pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was rough, his arm wrapping around her to hold her close, and he growled quietly in pleasure. Gripping the handle of her sword harder, Jiayi found her courage once more. With her courage came enlightenment and tears were soon streaming down her pale cheeks. _My father made this blade for me…to protect me from Chase Young!_ She tore from the man's hold and backed up quickly before launching a blast of ice with a swipe of the blade.

He dodged it and excitement grew in his expression. "You really want to fight me? Wouldn't you rather give in now so we can get to the good part faster?"

Jiayi took up a fighting stance. She was faintly aware of her jungle cats taking up positions around her. _I won't let them be hurt by him again. Their presence alone will make me stronger._ She heard her human companions conversing on the side and gritted her teeth _. I just wish they hadn't seen me acting so weak! They all saw that! They saw him kiss me! I won't let that misdeed go unpunished!_ Her hips swayed like a cat's tail and she tilted her head. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the Blade of Renshu. Does a little snow and ice frighten you?"

"I fear nothing and no one." Chase crossed his arms, seeming not in the least threatened.

"That's funny. If there's anything in this world you should fear, it's _me_. We're equally matched. Or had you forgotten? If I wanted to, I could tear you apart completely. And believe me, I _want_ to. Your very existence is an annoyance to me. A threat to my own existence. Tearing you apart and finally ending you would be the greatest pleasure." She snarled when she felt him behind her, one hand gripping the girl's neck and the other arm wrapped around her waist.

"You call that pleasure? Have you already forgotten the last time I had you alone? I will show you what pleasure really is."


	25. Chapter 25

Watching her pull out of the villain's hold, he felt his anger ignite. She was already looking a little battered. Her tank top had ripped, exposing her skinned side and ribs. Seeing her this way was bad enough, but when he saw her start to tremble, it made him want to tear the villain apart. Whatever he was saying to the young woman, it was too quiet for the others to hear. It was obvious from how she was acting that it had set her on edge.

A glance at his companions showed that they were trying to decide on a course of action. The jungle cats were already at Jiayi's sides, ready to defend her. He could tell from the look in their eyes that they were just as displeased as he was. At his side, Jack's eyes narrowed upon Chase and his hands curled into fists. _He knows he can't fight him, right? If he tries to fight Chase and he gets hurt, Jiayi will go into a rage._ It was now, with slight disgust, that he realized why she had brought him along. His gaze settled upon Jiayi before turning into a glare. She had brought Raimundo along with the intention of having him protect Jack. When the others decided to accompany them, she was fine with it, but was adamant about Raimundo going with her.

Jiayi braced herself, standing with her back to a tree as she watched Chase with contempt clear in her amber eyes. He smirked and started toward her. With a swipe of her sword, a shower of bladelike icicles flew at the man. He knocked them away, only to find that she had vanished. Raimundo felt a small grin growing on his face as Jiayi reappeared on the immortal man's back, her sword slung across her back in its sheath and her clawed hands digging into the gaps in Chase's armor. The villain snarled and thrashed, quickly dislodging her. When she landed on her feet a good distance away, her fingers were coated in slick red blood.

The expression on her face was one of feral, sadistic pleasure and it sent a chill down Raimundo's spine. In this moment, with her long blue hair hanging to hide half of her face and her pale lips curled up in a malicious grin, she looked truly evil. She lifted a hand and traced along her middle finger with the tip of her tongue, licking up Chase's blood. Now the boy's heart skipped a beat.

"We must do something to help her!" Omi finally declared.

"Okay, but what? And you really think she'll want our help?" Clay asked, full of doubt.

Kimiko watched as Jiayi rushed at Chase, claws bared. The shen-gon-wu and sword were long forgotten now that her claws had pierced his flesh. It was quickly becoming evident to everyone that her hatred for Chase was turning her into a rampaging monster. "If we _don't_ stop her…what do you think she'll do?"

Clay tipped his hat forward over his eyes, glancing at Jack and then back to Jiayi. "If we _don't_ do somethin', I reckon she might turn evil again."

"I know what we must do! We must drive him away! He is the reason why she is acting so wicked now! He is exerting a malevolent influence over Jiayi!" Omi hurried toward the battling immortals without a second thought, launching himself at Chase Young.

Raimundo watched as the other two followed him and suppressed the urge to join them. _Why did I get stuck watching Jack?! Is it because I still had my arm around her when she woke up this morning? Why was she even mad about that?_ He rubbed the back of his head, looking over at Jack. The redhead was watching the fight intently, gritting his teeth. "You want to protect her?"

"Why wouldn't I?! Look at what's happening!"

"Right." He turned toward the fight once more. "Would you fight him to protect her?"

"Of course I would! I love her!" Jack heard the sound of irritation that Raimundo made and rolled his eyes. "Look, aren't you supposed to be with _them_?"

"She wants me to protect you. Do you know what would happen to her if you got hurt again? She's like one step away from evil right now." Raimundo absently toyed with the hilt of the sword he held, watching as Jiayi dodged an energy blast from Chase. It just barely missed hitting the three monks.

Jack scowled. "What? Are you _jealous_?"

"So what? Yeah, I'm jealous. What does she even _see_ in you? She keeps saying she loves you. She keeps calling you her boyfriend. What's so special about _you_? Do you know what I did to try to save her from him?"

"Yeah, you did _such_ a great job. Did you know that he made her sleep with him?" Jack smirked when Raimundo's eye twitched. "Yeah. You still want to keep me from going over-?" The monk was already charging into the fight.

 **Shift P.O.V**

Jiayi jumped away from Chase in time to avoid a sword coming down between them. Her eyes briefly met Raimundo's and she instantly knew what was happening. "Why do you even care about this?! It has nothing to do with you!"

"You have no idea, do you?! Why can't you just treat me the way you treat _him_? What's so special about _him_?" he demanded, gesturing toward Jack.

"You're making this much more complicated than it needs to be! Why couldn't you just continue to guard him for me?!" She blocked another swipe with her own sword, unsheathing it just in time to protect herself. Her eyes shifted to Kimiko, Omi, and Clay as she began to wonder how they would react. Clay appeared slightly unsure of what to do, but Kimiko and Omi swiftly crossed the distance to get to Raimundo. Unfortunately, he moved quickly and continued to attack her. She stepped back more and more, determined not to fight him. _If I do, I'm afraid of what might happen. Worse, I still have to worry about Chase._ Narrowing her eyes, she swiped with her blade. Icicles shot forth and trapped him to a tree by his clothes. "Don't interfere." Her tone was firm as she approached him, trying not to smirk at his pitiful look of anger. "Alright? Be good and stay there while I finish this."

"This isn't over! I'm not going to let him-!"

" _Silence_. Understand?" Her smirk grew as she turned away from Raimundo in order to face Chase Young. "I'm going to finish this on my own. I want to thank you…Kimiko, Omi, Clay…for helping me this far. I truly appreciate your support."

"We can still help you!" Omi protested.

"I need to do this alone. Just me against him. Alright?" Jiayi waited for a confirmation from the others before swaying her hips in excitement. She tossed her sheathed blade to Omi as thunder boomed in the distance. Lightning flashed overhead as the clouds grew dark. "Chase Young. How do you want to do this?"

The smirk he displayed brought color rushing to her cheeks and he knew that she hated it. "You know how I want to do this. Or have you already forgotten?"

Her hips swayed a bit faster as a corner of her mouth lifted. "Beast forms it is."

The two stood silently for a long moment, staring each other down. The villain's long black hair was picked up by the wind, blowing behind him as he watched her irritation grow. He wanted to draw this out as long as possible. The longer they fought, the more wickedness seemed to pump through her veins. With any luck, she would turn evil by the end of their battle. "Well? Are you just going to stand there _admiring_ me? Or were you expecting me to make the first move?"

Jiayi's grin grew and she tilted her head, pushing a lock of long blue hair behind her ear. Opening her arms wide, she licked her lips. "Come at me, scrublord!"

Chase had started forward, shifting forms, and stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing her words. He raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to ask what she meant when she was suddenly right in front of him. An energy blast hit him squarely in the chest and pushed him backwards, sending him tumbling onto the ground. He regained his composure quickly, but was infuriated nonetheless. She was in tiger form now, watching him as her tail flicked back and forth in her amusement. He completed his transformation and crouched low, watching her for sudden movements. Jiayi seemed perfectly content with her sneak attack and it irked him beyond words. To be taken aback by something so foolish. "Now is that any way to speak to your king?"

"Hm…? Oh, you're still going on about _that_ foolish ambition?" Jiayi's feline head tilted. "My king…even if I had the ambition to become a queen…my king would never be you. Sorry to disappoint you."

He lunged forward, claws raking across her ribcage as her teeth found his neck. The two immortals rolled across the ground, each fighting to pin the other. Her dark blue fur quickly became matted with blood, his scales smeared with blood as well, though neither was certain whose it was. Around them, the jungle cats stirred in a mixture of fear and excitement. Her trio of followers gathered at one side of the clearing, watching for a chance to enter the fight. Jiayi found herself on top of him and pressed a clawed paw against his throat. He stared up at her with narrowed eyes, both of them breathing hard. "You look so beautifully _evil_ in this moment."

" _You_ look so _foolish_ in this moment," she snarled. "But haven't you always? I intend to leave this forest and if you interfere-!" Her body hit the ground hard, knocking the air from her lungs. He was on top of her now, in his human form, with a hand against her tiger throat in a mockery of their previous position. "Bastard!"

Blood ran down the side of his face and matted the hair above his right temple. It dripped from his chin, dotting her dark fur. "Do you really think that I will let myself be dominated by you?" he taunted, straddling her waist. "If I wanted to, I could destroy them all. Would _that_ break you?" A muscle beneath her eye twitched. "That's what I thought. Now, why don't you change forms so that we're equal?" A low growl came from her, but she obeyed. His hand tightened around her throat and she started to thrash.

"Release Jiayi immediately! If you kill her-!" Omi started.

"Now why would I want to kill her? That would be such a waste." He spared the monks a quick glance before turning his eyes back to Jiayi's. "Do they know that we were meant for each other?"

"Again with your _lies_?" She winced as his hold tightened around her throat. _If I don't get loose soon, he'll try to make me black out! If I could just push him back!_ She looked away from him, hoping to find something that she could use to distract him. Amber met red as she spotted Jack standing right behind Chase Young. Fear flooded her body and she could feel the color draining from her face. _No! Why is he over here?! I told him to stay back! Why is he here?_

"L-let go of her!" Jack demanded.

Chase looked at the redhead over his shoulder and smirked. "She belongs to me. She always has and she always will. You must realize that you were just a small distraction for her."

"I said to let go of her!" Anger filled his eyes and carried over into his voice, making him sound much more confident this time. "If you don't let go of Jiayi-!"

"What will you do? You're just a pathetic insect that she took _pity_ on."

"Don't make me say it again. I'm serious." Jack looked past him to Jiayi. The girl was sprawled beneath the dark-haired man, fear present in her eyes and blood drying around her mouth as well as on her hands. "Jiayi doesn't love you. She loves me. She chose me."

"You have no claim over her. Your words mean nothing to me." At this, Jack began to snicker. "What do you find so humorous?"

"It's like you don't even know! She can't _stand_ being around you! She _hates_ you!" When he was struck, Jack's body flew several feet back and collided with a tree rather hard. He blinked up at the villain standing over him and soon found the front of his shirt being gripped, his body being lifted so that his feet dangled over the ground. The young man had known that his words would anger the villain. It had been his intention to draw his attention away from Jiayi long enough for the girl to escape. What he had not anticipated was how much it would hurt once he had Chase's attention.

The dark-haired immortal scowled at Jack as if he was a spider on the wall. As if he was a pest to be exterminated without care. He could feel and see that Jack was shaking with nervousness, but he took little satisfaction in it. What he wanted most was to destroy Jack, with either scathing words or literally tearing him apart. The stare that seemed to pierce his back warned against such actions, but he was determined not to let Jack's taunting go unpunished. "You think that she loves you now? What do you think she will do when you've aged? What will she do when you die? While you continue to age, she will stay the same. When you die, it will be quick. Your very presence in her life will be so brief that it won't even matter to her once you die. Who do you think she will go to when that happens? Better yet, what do you really think will happen when you age? She won't stay with you. I can promise you that."

"Excuse me! Who gave you permission to touch my human?!" Jiayi's clawed hand nearly grasped the back of his neck, but he shifted quickly. He kept a tight hold on Jack, dragging the mortal with him. "Give him back to me or I will disembowel you!"

Holding Jack at arm's length, Chase closed the distance between himself and Jiayi. A malicious smirk took form on his face as he gripped her chin with his free hand. "Since you seem so intent on keeping him around, why don't I just take you in front of him? Come now. Why do you look so furious? I thought you said that there was nothing wrong with spectators."

When he leaned in to kiss her, she swiftly took a step back and away from him. She moved to do it again when he moved closer, but found her jaw caught in his grip once more. His lips pressed against hers and she snarled, putting her hands on his chest to try to push him away. A blade separated them, coming down swiftly and giving them little time to react. They parted and both immortals looked to Raimundo, who had freed himself and was now seething. "You got what you wanted, didn't you?! Why are you still fighting him?" he demanded.

She blinked, alarmed by his rage, and took a step back. _Why am I still fighting him? I…don't even remember suddenly._ Her eyes shifted to Chase and narrowed into a glare. She grabbed Jack's arm and dragged him from the man's grasp, wrapping both arms around the young man. Jack blushed pink and snickered at the anger in Chase's eyes. "Raimundo is right. We're leaving now. Omi, can I have my sword back?" She slung it across her back and gripped Jack's hand in hers, ignoring the way he nervously looked at the dried blood that coated her fingers. "If you follow me…if you start trouble for me again…I will not hesitate to tear you limb from limb and rip out your heart. Chase Young. This is your final warning."

He waited for her to turn away, satisfaction settling on his features as he watched her anxiously sway her hips. "You are foolish if you think this will stop me."


	26. Chapter 26

"On some level…I suppose I should appreciate your leadership. Who knows how long I might have fought him if you hadn't been there?" She stretched her arms over her head, back arching. The weather was much more pleasant than it had been the day before the battle.

"If you appreciate it, then why are you dragging me with you to that village?" Raimundo argued. "I have better things to do."

"I seriously doubt that. Kimiko said that you've taken to hiding in your room all day," Jiayi taunted. She tucked a strand of long blue hair behind her ear, watching him from the corner of her eye. He was frowning and trying to appear miserable, but she knew better. "Besides…I need someone to help me deliver the medicines that Omi made."

"So why not bring _Omi_?"

The girl turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Raimundo…weren't you saying that you wanted my attention?" His face turned pink and he looked away, muttering something. "I'm paying attention to you today. Or hadn't you noticed?"

"It's just because Jack's parents are back so you can't hang out with _him_ ," he argued.

He was slightly correct. Jack's parents had returned and now Jack was spending time trying to explain to them why Jiayi was living there. For the time being, she had packed up her belongings and moved to the Xiaolin temple. Her reason for keeping Raimundo close, besides making him help her, was so she could try to subtly sway him back fully to the Xiaolin side. "Hm. You're being ridiculous. You know…most women see jealous men as being _weak_."

The boy could not hide his smirk. "Do you think Chase Young is weak?"

She smirked back at him. "The weakest."

"You know, if Jack's mom doesn't want you in their house, he won't argue with her. He's a total momma's boy. I bet he'd stop dating you if she told him to." He saw her expression turn to slight worry. "I'm not saying she will. But think about it. She's never met you, Jack hasn't known you for that long, and you look pretty suspicious."

"I realize that." Jiayi was glad when they arrived at the village. She deposited the baskets of medicine near a fence post at the edge of the village, collected the notes left there by villagers, and turned without giving the buildings a second glance. As they walked back toward the temple, she read a few of the notes and smiled sadly. "It seems a few of the children are thanking me for my cold remedies."

Raimundo took a note from her, but was unable to read the characters on it. "Why are they afraid of you anyway? They treat you like a monster. I'd think they would treat you like a god! You make medicines for them without asking for any payment! You do it because you know it's right! So why don't they worship you?"

She bit at her thumbnail and tucked the notes into her jacket pocket. "I mean…all it takes is one slip-up. One night, when I waited longer than usual to drink my soup…I turned into a tiger and my evil side started to take hold of me. I tore apart a goat from the village and someone saw me. I don't know how they knew it was me, but…ever since that incident…they've all feared me. Think of it this way, would _you_ want to worship a monster?"

"I wouldn't say worship," he admitted. "But I am _following_ you, so what does that say?"

A grin took form on her face and she ruffled his hair. "It tells me that you're a ridiculous person. But you're lucky. I enjoy ridiculous people. Just look at Jack for reference." She heard him snicker at this and her grin grew. "So…if I may ask…just why did you want my attention so badly? And why did you accept help from Wuya when you came to rescue me?"

Raimundo frowned and curled his hands into fists. She was looking at him with curiosity and he knew he should feel better about her asking. It meant that she was interested. Still, he felt almost as if he was being used. As if she was only spending time with him because Jack was unable to be with her. "Why do you care?"

"Why _wouldn't_ I care?" Jiayi could tell by his body language that he was upset and she could easily guess why. "You know…you do remind me of him. My first love."

"What's similar?"

"Your smile. The way you talk. He always had this… _carefree_ …sort of aura to him. There is a major difference though and it makes things difficult. If you were like him… _exactly_ like him…I wouldn't be bothered. I would just shrug it off and I wouldn't care." She turned her head so that her bright amber eyes met his green eyes. "He…never cared about me. He never worried about me. He never smiled at me. I know that he would never risk his safety and sanity to protect me. So you need to understand that it's difficult for me to be around you…where you remind me of him in every way except for this one. So tell me. Why do you care?"

Realizing that she had started to step closer and closer to him with each word, he felt color rush to his face. "I-I don't know," he growled. "I _like_ you, I guess. I like seeing you happy, but then I feel mad when I see happy with Jack. Or when you were fighting Chase. You looked really happy when you were actually attacking him. It made me really mad. So, yeah, I guess I _am_ jealous. I thought that if I became evil, you would see that I was dedicated. I thought we could be together against everyone else."

She was glaring up at him now, standing inches away from the young man. He was beginning to look a little nervous at her close proximity and his face had gone from faintly pink to almost red. A wicked grin spread across her face and she leaned up to his ear. "You're insane." Her lips brushed his cheek in a taunting kiss and Jiayi quickly stepped away from him, continuing on down the path. "Hurry up. I'm getting hungry."

He stood there for a moment, still blushing, and finally shook his head. Jogging to catch up to her, he grabbed her arm. "You can't just kiss a guy and run off like that! What was that about?!" A look in her eyes instantly told him. There was evil pumping rapidly through her veins. Raimundo frowned down at her, curious about what might happen. "When was the last time you had that soup?"

"Hm…been a while. Why do you ask? Do you think I'll become a tiger and eat you up?" Jiayi licked her lips and swayed her hips back and forth. "Don't tell me…do you like me _more_ when I have evil running through my veins?"

He did not want to admit it to her face, but she did seem slightly more attractive when she was being wicked. Remembering how she licked blood from her fingers, he shivered. "What if I _do_? What are you going to do about it? Does that make you mad?"

"Should I be mad?" Her eyes shone with mischief and she stepped away, pulling her arm free. _Would Dashi have reacted that way? Would Dashi look at me the way that Raimundo is now?_ Just thinking the man's name ignited her fury and she tilted her head. Her grin was truly evil as she looked up at Raimundo. "If we fought, and I mean _really fought_ , you would defeat me and act disappointed. Just like _he_ did. You would turn away without even looking at me. You would call me a monster."

"I wouldn't do that!" Raimundo protested.

"You…don't know what you would do if you were in that situation. Hannibal told me that I would be loved. He promised me that my plan would work. I remember him saying that it would work. And do you know what happened? I failed miserably and tried to tear my body apart with my own claws. And when I failed at that too, Guan brought me back to the light. Do you know what it feels like? To fight against your own blood? Your own, tainted, _evil_ blood? It makes me want to do bad things constantly and I'm always telling myself that I'll be okay. That I can fight it. What if the day comes when I can't fight it anymore? It will consume me like a disease. Guan will be the first one I go after. And then Chase Young. And then… _you_. Because you…will be the final person that could stop me. So tell me…how does it feel? Now that you know that you will inevitably probably kill me. Kill me to save the rest of the world. How does it feel to know that you will need to kill someone you're so fond of?" She winced when he tightly grabbed her by the upper arm.

Raimundo's expression was stern, his mouth turned down at the corners and brow furrowed. "That's not going to happen."

"How can you promise me that?" she challenged him.

"Because if you turn evil, I'll follow you. And if you turn good, I'll follow you."

She licked her sharp canine teeth, watching him blush. "Oh yeah? Why? Because you _love_ me or something? You know how I feel about Jack. That isn't going to change any time soon. Even if he leaves me, I'll still love him. I just happen to be that _pathetic_."

His grip tightened. "Look, even if you don't like me that way, I'll follow you. I want to protect you. That's just how it is. That's just how it's going to be. Always."

The girl snorted and the evil seemed to recede from her eyes. She pulled out of his hold with effort and smiled genuinely. "You know…you sound an awful lot like _Guan_ when you say things like that."

They walked in silence for a long while, both lost in their own thoughts. He was watching her as they moved down the path, observing her movements. Her hips swayed in that semi-seductive manner, but by this point he knew it was unintentional. The girl's dark blue hair hung loosely down her back and her pale pink lips parted as she nervously bit a thumbnail. She was thinking about the temple and Guan. Her thoughts quickly shifted to her need for soup. Without it, the evil in her veins would grow stronger and eventually consume her. Somewhere at the back of her mind, she wondered what it would feel like to be evil again. Pushing that thought away, she shook her head.

"Have you ever wondered if Guan is using you?" The words made the girl look at him with a raised eyebrow, anger flaring in her eyes. Raimundo frowned. "No, I mean…think about it. Hannibal Roy Bean made you immortal so you would be like Chase Young and so he could try to control Chase Young by using you. Right? I don't know what his plan was. Like, was he going to use you as some kind of reward for him or what? But what if Guan is doing the same thing? What if he kept you a secret from Chase all this time so he could bring you out at the right time and make Chase weaker? Or try to control him the same way?"

She stiffened in irritation and crossed her arms. "He…wouldn't do that though." Her tone held uncertainty and it made her even angrier. _What if he's right though? It would make sense, wouldn't it? Chase wouldn't know about me. He forgot about even seeing me when I first turned evil. So he might have forgotten about me in general or even thought I was dead all these years. What if Guan was going to just bring me in front of him one day and use me as incentive to convert him back to the Xiaolin side?_ Her nails dug into her arms through her jacket sleeves and she gritted her teeth. "Guan…wouldn't do that," she tried to say firmly. Her voice came out in just above a whisper. "He just wanted to keep me safe…right?"

"You never thought about it that way?" Raimundo came up beside her, hesitantly putting a hand on her shoulder. It was clear that she was hurt by the notion. After all, she had spent centuries with Guan. She trusted him more than anyone else. "It probably isn't like that though. I mean, Guan's a good guy."

"Even 'good guys' sometimes use people," she stated in a dark tone. "What would you do if that was the case?"

He jumped a little when she met his gaze, tears forming in her amber eyes. "M-me? Like, as myself or if I was you?"

"If you were you. Answer that one first."

The young man glanced up and down the path. Seeing no one, he cautiously wrapped an arm around the immortal girl. "I guess I'd protect you from Guan." To his surprise, she did not pull away from his hold. She did not glare at him or growl at him to let go.

The tears rolled down her cheeks and she felt her evilness spike. "I…want to tear him apart. I don't even know if your theory is true and I want to dismember him." She lifted shaking hands, staring as her nails lengthened into claws. "…I don't like this…feeling this way…Raimundo, I don't want to be evil. I really don't. I want to be good and help people. I don't want to hurt anyone. Not if they're innocent. But I can feel it growing inside of me…and I'm afraid that I won't be able to control it."

Raimundo pulled her so her front was pressed against his and held onto her tightly. She was trembling and he could feel a tightness in his chest. It hurt him to see her in such pain. "What do you want to do? I won't make you go back to the temple if you don't want to."

"I-I need to get Lao Mang Lone Soup before I completely lose control."

"Okay so where can I get that?"

She let her forehead rest against his shoulder, trying to ignore the way his fingertips traced along her spine. "…Guan…he usually brings me some and I don't know where he gets it…so you would need to find him…but I can't see him right now…not like this…"

Raimundo tried to think of what to do now. Leaving her alone was not an option. Leaving her at the temple might make her feel worse. She might hurt someone or someone might hurt her. He could imagine Chase Young finding her there in this condition and taking her back to his lair. "Are you angry?" She pulled away enough to give him a curious look. "Guan might have been using this whole time, but you know Hannibal Roy Bean was. This whole time, he was planning to use you like some kind of reward for Chase doing what he wanted, right? Like you're not even a person. Just a prize. And aren't you mad at Chase for trapping Jack and trying to kill him? You know he would have let Jack die. And aren't you mad at Jack for making you leave his house?"

Jiayi scowled up at him, tears still falling from her eyes. "Just what are you trying to accomplish here?" she growled.

"Who are angriest with? It's Chase, right? He's the easiest to be mad at right now, isn't he?" He saw the rage growing in her snarl and he smirked. "Don't you want to tear out Chase's heart?" She nodded once. Raimundo leaned down to wipe the tears from her eyes and grinned. "Alright. So why don't we kill two birds with one stone?"

"What are you talking about? I can't kill him. Killing…isn't _right_."

"No, but you can take out all your anger on _him_ while I get you some Lao Mang Lone Soup, right? And as soon as I get it, we'll get out of there. Does that sound okay?" He saw worry in her eyes and smiled. "I promise I won't let you turn evil. I promise, okay? And I won't let him corrupt you. I'll protect you, okay?"

"F-fine…if it's our only option…" Despite her agreement, she still looked very reluctant.

His smile grew. "Hey. Remember that look on his face when you called him 'scrublord'?" This made her smile and it was almost enough to ease his worries.


	27. Chapter 27

She had been following them for a few months, desperate to prove herself. To prove that she was worth his interest. Worth his love. The day that she left home, her father shouted at her and her mother cried. She was determined to prove herself to Dashi no matter what it took. Now, months later, all of the training and traveling were taking their toll on her body. She was not used to fighting or walking such long distances, traveling through such perilous areas.

It was one of the things that he admired about her; that intense determination. He had seen her go through horrific battles against wildlife, monsters, and warriors. Each time, she emerged victorious, but battered. Jiayi fought until she had no strength left and even then, she refused to give up. The times when she was unable to defeat her opponent, he or Guan would step in to protect her and finish them off. While Dashi ignored her completely, he and Guan made sure that she survived.

He watched as the girl collapsed beside the river, breathing hard from her latest fight and trembling with fatigue. Determined to prove herself, she had joined their battle against monsters and insisted on defeating the last one on her own. Even with a wooden sword, she had somehow managed to destroy the beast. Dashi, who had been sitting on the edge of the riverbank, stood and walked away from her without a word. The expression on her face was one of such melancholy that it made his own heart ache a little. Guan was soon at her side, offering her their leftover food. She gladly accepted it and the man moved to follow Dashi, presumably to chastise him.

Now he allowed himself to wander over to where she sat in the tall grass, her body shaking with sobs of despair. He had come prepared to help her; he had seen how badly cut up and bruised her hands were becoming. With a glance over, he gently took her hand in his and started to bandage her wounds. "You're getting callouses," he quietly pointed out.

"If this is what it takes…"

"Why do you care about the opinion of someone who couldn't care less about you?" He saw tears run down her cheeks and frowned. Reaching over to wipe them away, he sighed in frustration. "If you insist on endangering yourself-"

"I am becoming stronger!" she growled, trying to pull her hand away.

His grip on her hand tightened painfully for a moment and he saw her wince. Loosening his hold, he continued to patch up her wounds. "I don't like seeing you get hurt. And I'm certain that Guan feels the same way. You should take precautions. Work on your speed so you can dodge attacks."

She tilted her head and offered her other hand when he finished wrapping her right one. Watching him work, she bit her lower lip in anxiety. "Where did you learn to take care of wounds? I never thought you would be the sort to patch up other people."

He raised an eyebrow and was soon smiling kindly. "I didn't exactly learn. I've just watched enough people do this." Reaching over to wipe away the remaining tears from her eyes, he felt his heart beat faster. Her face was close to his and she blushed pink. With a small smirk, knowing that Guan was watching them, he plucked a flower from the riverbank's tall grass and tucked it into her hair. "Don't let it get to you. I can see that you're getting stronger. If you ever need anything, you can ask me. Now let's work on your speed."

 **Present day**

Chase had not thought about it in a very long time and now the memory was making him eager to have her again. She was cute back then, but now her beauty was breathtaking and he knew that it was the evil that flowed in her veins. The runes and markings burned into her flesh, the scars, the evil spark that was always in her bright amber eyes. All of it added to her beauty in a way that made him desire her. He walked out to the main part of his lair, already planning his next move, when he spotted Jiayi. She was standing at the entrance to the lair, hips swaying in anticipation and grinning wickedly when he came into view. The man smirked down at her, standing at the top of the stairs. "To what do I owe this gracious visit?"

"I need to take out my frustration on someone," she started, watching him slowly descend the staircase. "So I thought…who better than the man I most despise?"

"I suppose I should be flattered. To be the first man you thought of. In what way do you intend to release your frustration?" Chase looked her up and down, his smirk growing. She was wearing a short black skirt, a black t-shirt with a low neckline, and calf-high black boots. Coupling these clothes with the feral look in her eyes proved a delightfully evil and tempting sight.

 **Shift P.O.V**

Jiayi spread her arms, letting her grin evolve into a smirk. "I come unarmed."

"I can see that." He was at the bottom of the stairs now, lust clear in his gaze.

Feeling her evilness spike, she swayed her hips in a more tantalizing fashion. "Tell me…just what are you thinking? I can see it in your eyes. Calculating, planning, but _what_? What could be going on in that wicked mind of yours, Chase Young?"

He swiftly closed the distance between them, grasping her throat and lifting her into the air. Her feet dangled a few inches off the ground. Despite this, she merely licked her lips and grinned. "You know what I want." The words held anger, but his eyes revealed only a desperate need. Drawing her face close to his, he stared into the girl's eyes. "What do you want?"

"Hm." She lifted a leg and planted it on his chest, pressing hard until he was forced backwards and she flipped back and out of his hold. Landing on her feet, she tilted her head. "I can only go all out with _two_ people…you and Guan. The only difference is that Guan is stronger than me. So, tell me, what does that say about _you_? Are you just weaker than him?" She cackled and leapt away from his grasping hand, watching his mouth twist into a scowl. "You want me?"

"I will have you." Chase was suddenly right behind her, an arm wrapped tightly around her waist. She snarled and thrashed, but he refused to let go. " _I_ can only go all out with two people, in a different manner of speaking." He was half-carrying her to the stairs now, not caring that she squirmed and growled. "You and Wuya. Do you know what the only difference is?" Her body was tossed onto the stairs and he immediately caged her in with his own body. "The difference is, I only _want_ one of you and I've only _had_ one of you."

"Cute. You really think you can lie to me and say you've never been with her?"

" _You_ are my destined match. You can't continue to deny this when there is so much evidence." His fingers threaded into her hair and his teeth nipped at the side of her neck.

Jiayi leaned up, her lips brushing over his ear. His hips pushed hard against hers, a soft groan escaping him. "I have…this much of an effect on you, hm? It makes me wonder. It really does. I wonder how I might have effected Dashi." She felt his teeth close hard on her skin, one of his hands moving to her thigh and pushing its way up her skirt. The girl's body froze in place, heart pounding with fear and excitement. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"You must really enjoy angering me." He pushed the divider of her panties aside and quickly pushed two fingers past her lower lips. Her back arched, eyes closing tightly. Chase's eyes seemed to ignite with a terrifying mixture of rage and lust as he drew his fingers out slightly before pushing them back in, even harder. He felt her small, pale hands thread into his hair and pull. The groan that left him seemed to echo in the lair and he desperately wanted to get out of his armor. "I know you didn't come alone." She turned her head to the side, her teeth gritted. "You brought your little hero. I wonder what he's going to think when he finds me tainting his precious crush."

"He's not-!" Jiayi felt his fingers curl within her, hitting a particular spot that made her moan loudly. She was regretting having come to the lair at all, but remembered that Raimundo was in the middle of getting the Lao Mang Lone Soup. Once he had it, they could leave and then everything would be alright. With a vicious grin, she drew the immortal man's face to hers in a rough kiss. Her teeth closed on his bottom lip lightly and she heard a growl of pleasure leave him. Pulling away, his fingers still moving in and out of her, Jiayi closed her eyes. "You know…for having lived so long…you haven't learned much about women. What? Were you saving yourself for me? Like…some kind of weakling…saving themselves for their crush?"

"I'm going to make you moan so loudly that he will come running. How does that make you feel? Your pathetic little hero will come in and find me taking you over and over again." Chase kissed along her neck, feeling her back arch so that her chest pressed against his. "Does that _excite_ you?"

She leaned up to his ear, her heart pounding in her chest. "Chase…I'm going to tear out your beating heart…and hold it in front of you as you die."

He moved back in time to avoid her trying to bite his face. "You need to work on your attitude. Is that any way to speak to your king?"

"You're not my king! And I'm not-!" She cut herself off with a low moan as he added another finger. Her hips subconsciously pushed up and to meet the thrusts of his hand. "Just…fight me!"

"Is that really what you want?" His fingers withdrew from her, a look of irritation on his face. "You want to fight me? What do you have to wager?"

"What do you want?"

Chase stood and crossed his arms as she straightened her skirt. "I think the more important question here is what _you_ want." Now he recognized the hunger in her eyes. It was not lust. "You need Lao Mang Lone Soup. Alright. What _I_ want is for you to stay here. When our fight is over, we can have dinner together and you can get what you need. So much easier than sending your little hero to get it for you."

"What do I get if I win then?"

"If you win, though I doubt that you will, then I will let you and your little hero leave unscathed with enough soup to tide you over. If I win, I can't promise that he will leave in one piece." He held out a hand to her, which she accepted as she stood. "Is it a deal?"

"I mean…I don't have much choice, do I?" Her hips were beginning to sway again and she half-grinned. "Alright. How do we know who won?"

"The first to concede defeat loses."

Her grin fell, giving way to a deep frown. _We're both immortal. We have better endurance than mortals. This fight could last a very, very long time._ Narrowing her eyes, she followed him up the stairs to the room they would fight in. _That's what he wants though. Chase wants me to be stuck alone with him for a long time so he can try to tempt me back to the Heylin side. Well…I'm not about to give in. I'll tear him apart!_

Chase stood with his back to her for a moment, hands clasped behind his back as he listened to her movements. The room they were in was more of a combat area and he could hear her standing just inside the door, running fingers through her hair. She was anxious, which meant she would be cautious. The corner of his mouth lifted. "Do you ever wonder what _he_ would say if he could see you now?"

"Are you talking about my father again? Because I really don't care what he would think." It was not entirely true and it hurt her to say such a thing, but she was not about to be coerced into attacking Chase without planning first.

"Dashi. I'm sure he would be even more disappointed than your father." He knew that his words ignited a fury within her and wanted to push her just a little further toward attacking without thought. "Of course, he might not even care. I'm sure that if he was here now, in this room and watching our fight, he wouldn't lift a hand to help you. He never cared about you."

Her hands curled into fists and Jiayi fought the urge to rush at him. "I don't appreciate you using such underhanded techniques, Chase Young. Face me like a real warrior!"

"You spent so much time trying to make him love you. I doubt that you remember who bandaged your wounds after your battles."

"Chase." She was glad when the man turned toward her. In truth, she had forgotten because she simply did not care. All that time that she spent traveling and training with the three warriors, she had only remembered Dashi. The others did not matter. Now, she spread her arms and tilted her head, long blue hair falling to hide the left side of her face. "Chase Young…" He stepped toward her, smirking in satisfaction. A wide, evil grin spread across Jiayi's face. "Come at me, scrublord!"

 **Shift P.O.V**

Raimundo was beginning to wish that he had brought someone with him to search the lair. The number of doors was bad enough, but the roaming jungle cats made it worse. Hiding in a closet, waiting for a trio of panthers to reach the end of the hallway, he frowned to himself. Jiayi would keep Chase Young busy for as long as she could. Having seen the way that Chase looked at her, Raimundo knew that the villain would be loath to leave her in order to pursue him.

When the panthers were gone, he slipped out of the closet and hurried along the corridor. Every other door he opened seemed to just lead to an empty room. The lair itself was almost labyrinthine in nature and he wondered if he would be able to get out once he had the soup. This concern was soon pushed aside when he realized that he had left Jiayi to distract Chase. The two were alone together and the more he thought about it, the more Raimundo started to worry. Jealousy started to settle in his mind and he ran faster. _The worst would be if he touches her again. I know what he did last time! If he touches her that way again, I'll-!_ He scowled and shook his head, knowing that there was little he could actually do to avenge her if that happened. _He won't kill her. He wants her alive. So at least I don't need to worry about that._

The young man felt like a knight working to save a princess. It felt good. It filled him with a sense of righteousness that pushed him onward despite his worries. Though the thought of Chase and Jiayi together, the villain coercing her into sleeping with him, made Raimundo blush faintly. He was ashamed, but he had had such thoughts about the immortal girl as well. Thoughts of claiming her in that way and how her skin would feel against his. The night that she slept beside him, he had dreams that made him sweat and definitely look at her differently. He hated it, but he felt almost possessive over her now. He wanted her to be his.

Finally, he came upon what seemed to be a dining room and beyond that a closet filled with cans of Lao Mang Lone Soup. Raimundo stood for a moment, countless thoughts forming. _How many dragons did he kill to make that much? Where did he find them? How many should I take? What will happen if I take all of them for Jiayi? Will he die?_ This thought was what urged him to make the horrible, terrible decision that followed.


	28. Chapter 28

Negotiations had been made, though it was difficult. Jack managed to convince his parents to let Jiayi stay, but only if they got to meet her and talk with her. Thus why he was now braving the wretchedly hot sunlight to make his way to the temple. When she had told him that she would stay there, he instantly became worried. The possibility of her leaving him for the side of good was always on his mind. It was only made worse by the thought of Raimundo being near her. With her staying at the temple, it gave him more opportunities to be alone with her.

Arriving at the temple, he first spotted Kimiko and Clay. Glaring, his shoulders hunched and sweat making his eyeliner run, he stopped in front of them. "Where's my girlfriend?"

Kimiko raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you guys break up?"

Already irked by the hot weather, Jack scowled. "No! Why would we break up?! I just had to talk to my mom about her living there and-!"

"Raimundo said you broke up," Clay interrupted.

The redhead sighed in exasperation. "Of course. Well where is she?"

"I don't know. They went to deliver some medicine to that one village a while ago and haven't come back yet." Kimiko met his frantic gaze with a calm one. "What? Are you worried? She's over a thousand years old. You've seen her fight Chase Young; she can take care of herself."

"I know that! I just don't like her being alone with _him_!" Jack drew his phone from his pocket and attempted to call Jiayi. There was no answer. His heart began to race, imagining all sorts of horrible scenarios.

"Are you really that insecure? He just wanted to help her. I think." Now Kimiko frowned. Her eyes shifted to Clay for a moment and saw a flicker of worry that mirrored her own. "Alright. Maybe I can track her with my phone. I mean, I found her that time she went to the Land of Nowhere, right? How hard can it be to…?" Her frown deepened, gaze fixed upon her phone's screen. "Where do you think she might have gone?"

 **Shift P.O.V**

Both immortals were bruised and bleeding, one more so than the other. Jiayi clutched her bleeding side, torn open by his claws, her amber eyes narrowed into a glare. The two had gone back and forth between beast forms and human forms. She had done some damage to him as well, but he was healing faster than her. _But it's more than that. It isn't just his fast healing that's making this match uneven._ The young woman swayed her hips side to side, not taking her gaze off of him. "Chase…I wonder. Just how long do you think you can keep this up?"

There was blood running down the side of his face from a deep claw mark. With a smirk, he licked his lips. "I can keep going until you submit."

Ignoring the intense pain that wracked her body, she snorted. "Hm? So we're back to that, are we? Just as I originally thought."

"If that's what it takes to make you join me."

Her amusement faded as he rushed her, forcing her to dodge a strike aimed at her head. _Alright. So now I know what's making him so much fiercer. He's determined. Great. I can be determined too!_ She wanted to shift into her tiger form again, but knew it was simply not possible. Chase had left large slashes across her chest and back. If she changed forms now, it would tear the wounds further. She would need to wait until they were healed before she could even attempt it.

"Just concede defeat and we can end this fight. We can begin our reign."

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. Even if I _did_ want to rule the world, it would never be with you. At your side or otherwise." She jumped back when he suddenly appeared before her, sending her backing into a wall. The girl cringed as he lifted a hand, knowing that if he struck now that there was no dodging it. _An energy blast at this proximity would knock me out. I'm pretty sure that means conceding defeat, if I can't stand on my own._

Seeing her cower gave him no pleasure. Chase did, however, enjoy feeling her shiver beneath his fingertips as he caressed the side of her face. "How much longer do you intend to fight it? Do you really think that you can beat me?"

Jiayi hated that he made her feel weak. Simply touching the side of her face made her quiver and color rushed to her cheeks. "Y-you know I'm just bait, don't you?"

He leaned down to her ear, his teeth closing sharply on it for a moment and feeling her body tense. "Bait for what exactly?"

"H-Hannibal Roy Bean. He…made me this way to use me…to control you," she weakly explained. His body pressed against hers and she bit her lip to suppress a whimper. _I haven't had Lao Mang Lone soup in a while. Is that why he's affecting me this way? Weaker evil…subconsciously fearing a stronger evil, maybe?_ Jiayi felt his free hand at the hem of her skirt, tracing up the back of her thigh lightly. "Don't-!"

"Do you think I care about such trivial things?" Chase drew back enough to meet her gaze. Evil flickered in their amber depths and it seemed to fuel his need for her. Lifting Jiayi's pale face toward his, he smirked. "I should probably thank him. I couldn't ask for a better woman to spend eternity with."

When his lips met hers, she felt her pulse quicken. Pale fingers dug into his long, black hair and he pressed tighter against her. Jiayi could feel his growl through the kiss and it sent a pleasant shiver throughout her body. _Why though?! Why does it get like this? I want to tear him apart for everything he's done, but then I also…want to…_ Her teeth caught his lower lip and bit gently. As much as she wanted to hate him, as much as she wanted to kill him, she could feel herself growing wet. Her eyes snapped open when he thrust his hips against hers, meeting his stare. Within his eyes was a lust so fierce that it made her tremble with fear.

Chase pulled away and glared down at the girl. Though neither had conceded defeat, he was fairly certain that he had won this battle. Her wounds were healing before his eyes and he could feel his own injuries mending themselves. "You will join me," he finally stated. His fingertips ran along her thigh for a moment before pulling her leg up to wrap it around his waist. "Once you have joined me, there will be no stopping us. We will be the ultimate evil. Now tell me what I want to hear."

She could feel her strength fading. Not just from the way he stared her down, but from the wounds and the internal battle of fighting back the evil in her veins. It was spiking throughout their fight and it took all of her willpower to not let it consume her. _Even if I'm injured. Even if I'm dying, torn into a million pieces. I can't let the evil take over me! I can't let him win!_ With a clawed hand, she swung at his face.

He stepped back in an almost casual manner. For a brief instant, there was disappointment in his eyes. It was quickly replaced with amusement when she pursued him. As much as he might have enjoyed hearing her say it then and there, this was much better. The longer they fought, the more meaning her words would hold to him. "How does it feel to pursue someone?" he taunted. When her eyes narrowed upon Chase, he smirked. "Oh, that's right. I almost forgot. You spent most of your mortal life pursuing _him_ , didn't you? What did it feel like to pursue someone you could never have?"

"Why don't _you_ tell _me_?" Jiayi lunged forward and struck him square in the chest with an energy blast. She saw his face contort into a scowl as he skidded back and into a wall, hard enough to shake the room. His armor was unmarked, but she could tell by the flicker of pain in his eyes that she had hurt him. "Wow. That looked painful. What's it like? Is it worse or the about the same as _rejection_?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Chase appeared behind her and struck her between her shoulder blades. Her body was sent flying forward, but she twisted and skidded to a stop before she could hit the wall. He was soon upon her again, gripping her wrists and pinning them above her head with one hand. "If I hit you in the chest from this proximity-"

"Do it! I dare you! Spend all of your strength on something so stupid! You seem to forget that I'm not alone, you arrogant cretin!" Her hips swayed as he leaned down to the side of her neck, nipping gently at her pale skin. _Why is he doing that?! This is a fight! Does he really think that this is going to make me join him?_

The immortal man closed his eyes and let his hips thrust against hers. No matter how close he got to her, it never seemed to be enough. "You're going to break eventually and when that happens, I intend to reclaim what belongs to me."

"You think that you can break me?"

"I _know_ that I can break you. There are so many ways that I could do it. You're just lucky that I chose this one."

Jiayi felt an immense pain in her lower abdomen and it took her a moment to realize that his knee was firmly planted in her stomach. "Ngh!" She gritted her teeth against the pain and bit back a yelp as his left fist drove into her chest. The actions were repeated, over and over. The pain grew with each hit and as Jiayi felt consciousness begin to slip away, her hands were released. She slid to the floor, blood running from the corner of her mouth.

He crouched in front of her, a hand gripping her chin to force her to meet his gaze. "What do you say to my offer now?"

She glared up at him and winced when he leaned down to lick blood from the edge of her lips. "I will _never_ join you." Locks of her long, dark blue hair fell to cover her left eye and gave her a menacing, feral appearance.

"Let me put this in simple terms." His hold on her chin tightened. "I could destroy everything that you care about. I could destroy that pathetic insect that you seem to love, your previous little hero, and all of the monks. I could even destroy Guan if I truly wanted to. If that is what it will take to finally break you, then so be it. We can live together for eternity with their blood on your hands."

As much as it pained her, Jiayi knew that she would not be able to fight him again and again at this level. Worse yet was the panic that she felt at the thought of losing everything that she loved. Everyone that mattered in her life could be taken from her in a second by this man. A growl began at the back of her throat. A growl of anger and frustration. _Guan. He was a martyr for so long, watching over me. Keeping me from returning to evil. I'm going to be betraying him if I agree to join Chase Young. But…it's my turn to be a martyr. I'll sacrifice my sanity. My happiness. To protect everyone. If I'm close to him, I can at least keep him from hurting those that I love._ Her shoulders drooped as she looked into his eyes. "Fine. I'll join you."

"You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that." There was definitely joy in his gaze, but it was nearly overshadowed by something else. "What else do you have to say?"

She gritted her teeth and released a low snarl at the back of her throat. "I will not say it."

"I can wait then." Chase released her and stood, turning toward the room's only door. "Now what will we do about your little hero? Do you suppose he wants to join us?"

"Don't…don't try to convert him! Just-!"

"Is that what you thought I meant?" He gave her a cruel, impious look over his shoulder. "You don't need to worry about that. Besides, I won't have to do a thing to convert him to the Heylin side. Seeing that you have joined me will be all the prompting that he will need."

Jiayi pushed herself to stand, glowering at his smirk. "He's stronger than that."

"You think it's about whether he's strong or weak?" Chase turned to her fully, wearing a dark yet amused expression. "I suppose you also think that he brought you here just to help you. You think he has your best interest at heart? Everything that he does is for his own benefit. But isn't that how everyone is?"

"You don't know that! You couldn't possibly know another person's true motives!"

His eyes narrowed down upon her and he took a step closer. Immediately, Jiayi stepped back. "Is that any way to speak to-?"

"Sorry." As much as she hated to apologize for her words, as much as she hated lowering her gaze in submission, she hated even more the thought of him hurting her friends. _They can't come here then. If they come here and I have to fight them…I could never forgive myself if that happened._ Very slowly, with much internal hatred building, she lifted a hand and caressed the side of his face. The young woman leaned up to his ear and, blushing, whispered, "So tell me. How can I make it up to you?"

The man's hands found her hips and he pulled her body tight against his own. "I think I would prefer to hear you _beg_."

Jiayi wanted to slap him with a clawed paw, but stopped herself. The girl's evilness was spiking again and it seemed to fuel her inadvertent seduction. _Wait. Why should it be inadvertent? If I can distract him with something, it will buy Raimundo enough time to escape._ She moved her hips side to side, meeting his gaze and wearing an evil half-smile. "Chase. Please, tell me what you would like. There must be _something_ I can do to make up for being bad."

Seeing her blush while speaking these words pleased him immensely. "I can think of a few things." The immortal man looked her up and down, taking in the state of her wounds. They were healing, but very slowly. "First, I believe we both need to eat."

 **Shift P.O.V**

It made his skin crawl. The man had to know that Raimundo was there. He was hiding quite well, but he knew that the boy was there. Why else would he be making such a show of holding Jiayi close to his side? The monk saw the spark of evil in Jiayi's eyes, stronger than ever as she quietly flirted with the villain. If Chase were not there, he was sure that he would feel differently. After all, he truly did find her more attractive when her was acting wicked.

He knew where they were going. The thought of Chase finding the cans of soup missing made Raimundo grin evilly. At the same time, he now had to wonder what he would do with them. There were many options open to him. Watching the two continue down the hallway, he saw her hips swaying. It was nearly entrancing. When she turned her head, eyes meeting his, the boy's heart skipped a beat. The girl half-grinned and then shifted her gaze back to Chase.

 _What is she doing? Is she trying to stall him? But I got the soup. Why is she walking with him?_ Raimundo cautiously moved to a new hiding place, following them down the corridor. The more he watched, the sicker he felt. Jealousy started to bubble up and soon he realized that she was not simply stalling Chase. She was toying with him purposefully in front of Raimundo. The evil was quickly starting to take over.


End file.
